The Guiding Star
by phantomhive
Summary: AU. A girl leaves her home to save her nation. While in China, she meets someone…a stranger…can he help her get over her pain? There's more in store for the two of them than they realize and they can no longer tell who is friend or foe. SxS
1. Torn Away

Author's Notes: Four quick points. One: was there ever a Li Dynasty in China? Well, if there was, it doesn't really matter. The Li Dynasty in my story is completely fictional. In fact, all of the events here are fictional. That's why it's called a fan fic! ^_^ Two: There may be a few characters that are out of character, seeing how this _is_ an Alternate Universe fic. Three: Don't forget this is set in the past! Things were really different then, like attitudes and emotions, especially toward women. Four: I'll be using Syaoran's Chinese name, "Xiao Lang", throughout the entire fic, unless I'm referring to S + S. 

  
**The Guiding Star**

Torn Away: Chapter One

By: Sakura

  
Two tear-filled emerald green eyes stared out into the vast emptiness of the deserts in China. 

"I hate this world," she thought bitterly. "I wish I could just end my life at this very moment…but I want to see my father again…" She buried her head in her arms and wept heartrending tears. She couldn't take it any longer. 

It was a time when men were seen as the dominators of the world, while women were just…women. They were useless in all aspects except for child giving. Either that or they became mere concubines, or even servants, to people more powerful than they were. This was what happened to Kinomoto Sakura. Sakura was a Princess from the distant country of Japan. She lived happily with her father and brother for more than sixteen years. Her mother had passed away when she was very young. Still, both her father and brother shared just ideas and they were both very kind at heart. But recently, members from the Li Dynasty of China had started warring with their nation, creating death and chaos in their wake. Her brother, Touya, had been killed in action during the last battle. 

"Touya…" she thought sadly, as more tears streamed down her cheeks. Then came a ceasefire. Emperor Kinomoto obviously knew that the Prince and leader of the attacks, Li Shui Ken, was after something. He was right; during the ceasefire, it was apparent that the invading Li Army would conquer in the end, so Shui Ken boldly went to the Emperor to ask for one thing: his daughter. The Emperor had to surrender his daughter for a few months to the Prince in exchange for his and his peoples' lives. If agreed, the army promised they would leave. If not, they would set Japan aflame and destroy it. Emperor Kinomoto refused immediately. He would not give up his daughter, his dear, sweet Sakura, to a brute like Shui Ken, not even for a little while. 

But before Shui Ken could restart his attacks, Sakura, having heard everything, stepped in, and consented to his demands, stating for him to change his request from a few months to a few weeks. Shui Ken instantly agreed to this and Emperor Kinomoto had no other choice. Shui Ken, immensely pleased with the outcome, withdrew his army, and sent for her days after he returned home. The goodbye Sakura had with her father would always be locked away in her mind. She would never forget him or Touya. 

~*Flashback*~

"Why are you doing this, Sakura?" demanded Fujitaka. "Do you realize what you're getting yourself into? Shui Ken is powerful, too powerful. Your spirit is light and delicate; he'll crush you in an instant." 

"Otousama," she replied calmly, though inside she was being torn apart by her own decision. "I have to go. I'm not doing this just to save you, but our entire nation as well. If this is the only thing Li Shui Ken wants, then so be it." Though her hair covered her eyes, two tears visibly made their way down Sakura's cheeks. "I don't want any more people to die!" Fujitaka pulled his daughter close to him and embraced her. 

"Your heart's too kind," he said. "It's so pure. Here." He stepped back, reaching behind his neck, and unclasped something. It was a thin necklace, fitted with a small gold star pendant in a faint pinkish rose circle. He placed it around Sakura's neck and closed the clasp. "Keep this," he continued, "to remember me; and your home. It'll help you where you're going now." Sakura threw her arms around her father. 

"I'll never forget you," she choked out, "you can count on that. I promise to return to you as soon as I can." Fujitaka wiped away her tears and smiled sadly. 

"I wish you good luck, my dear daughter." 

Emperor Kinomoto stood by the balcony, his hands holding back the curtain, watching the carriage and Chinese guards take leave to China, taking his daughter with them. He released the curtain and it fell back into place. Walking a few steps with his hands locked behind his back, he closed his eyes and tried to forget the pain in his heavy heart. "Goodbye, my sweet cherry blossom." He knew he would never see her again. 

~*End Flashback*~

"We're here." 

Sakura opened her eyelids and stifled a yawn. During the last stretch of her journey, Sakura had fallen into a merciful sleep, forgetting her troubles. She lifted her head and found herself face-to-face with one of the Chinese guards. He had a smirk on his face as he helped her out of her seat. She stood up straight and looked about her. The surroundings denoted calm and peace, beauty as well. Lush trees grew around the two-story building. A garden with a rainbow of colours was set beneath the tall trees. The walkway she stood on was pure white in shade. High walls surrounded the building and a semi-large courtyard in front. The luminous moon hung in the sky, set within a backdrop of twinkling stars. The night sky was just as it was back home…A tear slowly rolled down her cheek as she thought of her family. 

"Far from home, aren't we, Princess?" sneered the same guard. "You're going to learn that life in China is not the same as one in Japan." 

He was about to add more when a voice rang out loudly. "Prince Li Shui Ken arrives!" The guards immediately assembled themselves into two rows - facing each other. They stood by the side of the walkway and were on their knees, bowing, as Shui Ken approached. 

"Long live the Prince!" they chanted as they continued to bow. For Sakura, sadness was instantly replaced with disdain. She knew the drill; when a person of nobility approached, all people below that person must be on their knees and bow to them, chanting for the same person to live thousands of years, or even forever. It was considered respectful. But she would _not_ bow to a man that had killed - and ordered to have killed - the people of her nation. As he walked toward her, his ministers and guards flanking him, Sakura continued to glare at him, her emotions spinning from anger to hurt and back. Shui Ken smirked at her impertinence. This girl was definitely going to be interesting. He liked her spirit. 

"Well, Princess," said Shui Ken, speaking in a pleasant tone, "how do you like your quarters?" 

"My quarters?" repeated Sakura, confused. Shui Ken gestured to the building behind her. 

"This is to be your new home," he said, smiling at her. 

"Thanks, anyway," replied Sakura icily, "but I already have a home." She became angrier when the smile on Shui Ken's face broadened. 

"Have you not heard, Princess?" he asked. 

"Heard what?" 

"The Emperor is dead." Sakura stared at him, wide-eyed. Her breath was immediately stolen away from her and she suddenly paled, dropping to her knees. 

"It can't be…" she whispered. "You're lying…" 

Shui Ken shook his head, an expression of mock sadness on his face. "It's true. Japan had been set aflame," he told her, "and nothing was spared from the fire. Everything's gone." Sakura looked away and closed her eyes, the pain in her chest, caused by her heart, was unbearable. "You have no choice but to stay here," he continued, a glint in his eye, "with me. There's nothing for you in Japan now." Sakura didn't answer him, her eyes fixed on the ground, trying hard not to cry. Seeing how Sakura was completely speechless, Shui Ken smiled inwardly to himself, then turned and left, his ministers and guards still following closely. The other guards had taken away the carriage and left, while two new guards were posted at the circular doorways. As soon as he left, the tears began to fall again. 

With her head buried in her arms again, Sakura wept, still lying on the ground, wracking sobs that never left her throat. Everyone was gone…her family…her friends…she was left all alone…alone… The pain proved to be too much for her to handle and the Japanese Princess fainted, blacking out into a merciful darkness, one where pain didn't exist. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"He did what?!" 

Li Xiao Lang groaned in pure disgust. Why was it that his brother always did the stupidest things? Xiao Lang looked back at his advisor, Wu Jin Chi. "Why did he destroy that country? They never did anything to us," he said. 

"Shui Ken never lets his real intentions be seen clearly until the last moment," answered Jin Chi, "so, I'm sorry, Master Li, but I do not know why." Xiao Lang sighed inwardly, staring at the ground. Abruptly, he stood up and walked out of the room, into the night atmosphere. 

"I'm gone for several months and he starts a war," thought Xiao Lang. "If only father was well. He would never have let Shui Ken use his army in such a way." Xiao Lang's thoughts changed to his father, the Emperor of China. He had fallen gravely ill and couldn't even leave his own bedside. All of the doctors had said he had no chance of recovery. Xiao Lang raked his hand through his short unruly hair. Many people disliked the fact that Xiao Lang had short hair. Long hair meant respect; but it was not Xiao Lang's fault Shui Ken had _accidentally_ sliced it off during a duel. He always doubted it was an accident. Xiao Lang just couldn't trust him. 

Shui Ken and Xiao Lang weren't exactly brothers. They were half-brothers, born from the same father, but different mothers. Xiao Lang did have other siblings that had the same father _and_ mother; four older sisters. His mother, Yelan, had passed away a long while ago, though, and all of his sisters had married and no longer lived at the palace. Yelan had been his father's favourite wife and the Emperor missed her fire, her spirit. Xiao Lang and Shui Ken did have many other half-siblings, which was to be expected, seeing how, after all, their father _was_ the Emperor. Shui Ken had always hungered for something: total power. He always wanted to be the Emperor. But this was impossible, seeing how he was only the ninth son. Xiao Lang, further down the line, was the fifteenth. 

Xiao Lang settled for a seat on the top ledge of the wall. No doubt the guards would yell at him later and tell him to come down. But they hadn't seen him yet, so he was safe. He loved looking at the night sky, especially at the calm and cool moon. So unlike the bright fiery light of the daytime sun. Maybe he liked the moon so much because his powers came from the moon. This was something Xiao Lang had inherited from his mother but his sisters had not: magic. This was the reason he had been away for many months. Only few members of the Li Clan possessed magical powers and he had been sent to the Li Elders to train, to learn how to harness them, to use them, and to control them. He had surpassed his Master's expectations and completed his training in less than a year's time. But…his Master had died…by the hand of… 

"Xiao Lang!" called one of the servants. "Come quickly! I have some bad news…" Xiao Lang, his thoughts distracted, got up and re-entered the building. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Awaking for the second time that day, Sakura blinked several times, trying to adjust her eyes to the light. "Where am I?" she spoke aloud as she sat up. 

"You're at home," came a soft voice. 

"Home?" repeated Sakura. She looked about her. She was sitting in a bed, the curtains half closed. There was a table in the center of the room, and a few chairs randomly placed in the room. Parallel to the bed, but on the opposite wall, sat a window and a doorway to the balcony. On the same wall as the foot of the bed was a doorway leading to the hallway. Her gaze ended back at the person who spoke. "Who are you?" she asked. 

"My name is Daidouji Tomoyo," responded a girl of about her age as she bowed slightly after stepping away from the shadows. "I am to be your handmaiden, Princess." 

"Handmaiden?" Sakura looked down for a moment. "Mihara Chiharu used to be my handmaiden…and my friend," she thought. She looked back at Tomoyo. "How did I get here?" she asked. 

"You had fainted earlier outside this building and the guards had helped me bring you inside," replied Tomoyo. "I assumed you were crying because your cheeks were wet with tears." 

"Crying?" thought Sakura. Then everything came back to her. Her brother…her father…her friends…her country…all gone…everything…gone…Tears sprang to her eyes as she remembered what happened earlier when she spoke to Shui Ken. Jumping up, she ran out of the room without saying a word to her new handmaiden. Not watching where she was going, Sakura had slipped through the entrance to the courtyard in front of her building so swiftly that the guards never noticed she left. They never reacted until Tomoyo came chasing after her. Then they picked up the chase as well. But she was long gone. 

Finding herself in the gardens, though still within the confines of the enormous palace grounds, Sakura ran aimlessly, not knowing where to go. As she went, she continued to shed tears of anguish, her heart aching… 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Xiao Lang stared numbly at his ministers for a few moments. They were mistaken…they had to be! His father…he can't die! He was the Emperor! Without a word, Xiao Lang got up and left the room, the ministers shaking their heads sadly as they watched him leave. Outside, Xiao Lang punched the tree, trying to rid himself of his feelings of sorrow. Punching an inanimate object did nothing to relieve his feelings. Now, with their father passed on, Shui Ken would continue to use his power recklessly, for his own selfish reasons, without a thought to anyone else. 

Needing time away from other people, Xiao Lang walked and walked, until he found himself in the palace gardens. No matter what time of the day it is, the great garden was always silent…and beautiful. Xiao Lang sat down on a rock, his head in his hands. He closed his eyes and listened to the sounds he was often accustomed to hearing when he sat there. Trees rustled gently, the waterfall could be heard from a distance, someone was crying, a light breeze wafted by…someone was crying? He got up and walked toward the sound. Why would someone be crying? Especially at midnight? 

As he neared the waterfall, a strange girl, her face completely covered by her hands, ran straight into him and they were both knocked over. Xiao Lang got up and dusted himself off and was about to yell at the girl for her carelessness when he took a good look at her. Since she hit the ground, the girl hadn't gotten up. Instead, she was staring miserably at the floor. She had long brown hair that covered half of her back and beautiful emerald green eyes. But those emerald green eyes were filled with sadness and grief. Her face was streaked with drying tears. She looked like she lost the will to live on… 

Sakura looked up with surprise to see a hand extended towards her. No one had ever offered her a hand before…why was he being so nice? Sakura accepted the hand, though rather unwillingly, and Xiao Lang helped her stand up. 

"Are you okay?" he asked her kindly. Sakura looked away, avoiding his gaze, at the same time, mumbling an apology. Then she turned to leave, but Xiao Lang immediately grasped her hand. Sakura's eyes widened and she tried to pull her hand free but Xiao Lang was much stronger than she was and he held her tight. "Wait," he said. He turned her around and held her chin with one hand. "What's wrong? You were crying; I can tell." 

Sakura found herself getting lost in Xiao Lang's warm amber eyes. He was so handsome…and kind…no one ever treated her like this before, excluding her family…and the fact that this was coming from a man was more than astounding for her. Her emotions were whirling out of control. She felt as if she could…trust this stranger. She instantly fell into his arms, crying into his shoulder. "My father…my family and friends…they're all gone…" she cried. Xiao Lang caressed her hair soothingly. He knew exactly how she felt. A moment ago, he wanted to cry to his heart's content, too, but now, he just wanted to comfort this strange girl. Who was she? And what was she doing here? 

  
Author's Note: Is the story unique so far? I'm not quite sure why I like having my fics set in China. It's just…different. So…what do you think? I'm really anxious to hear your opinions about this fic. I want it to be slightly different from most CCS fics, but I'm not sure if it's such a great plot…well, you tell me! I promise I'll have S + S moments coming up in the next chapters! It's kind of a depressing chapter, isn't it? It'll pick up soon, hopefully. 

*Sakura   
~The Animé Archives Team


	2. Introductions

**The Guiding Star**

Introductions: Chapter Two

By: Sakura

  
"Kinomoto Sakura…"

Xiao Lang lay in bed, his hands behind his head, unable to sleep. He just kept repeating the name over and over in his head. He couldn't forget her; the light in her emerald green eyes, her smooth satiny brown hair, the soft wistful smile…The girl had poured her heart out to him earlier, though not in much detail, and she told him about the deaths of her friends and family, possibly consumed by fire. She almost wished she had been with them at that time.

When Xiao Lang was about to ask her where this happened, they both heard voices - guards! It had to be. The two broke their embrace and Xiao Lang turned to leave.

~*Flashback*~

Starting to leave, Xiao Lang felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around and faced Sakura again. Her eyes were downcast as she spoke.

"Will I ever see you again?" she asked him softly, unsure herself, why she was asking such a bold question, especially to a man, of all people.

"I'll seek you out soon," he promised her. For the first time in months, a smile broke through Sakura's clouded expression and the tears were wiped from her eyes. Her smile, the sweet enchanting smile, was captivating him. Xiao Lang proceeded to surprise her - and himself - by drawing Sakura close to him and gently placed a kiss on her cheek.

As the voices grew louder, Xiao Lang knew he had no choice but to go and swiftly scaled the wall, standing atop them. He thought all the while, thinking of how beautiful this girl was, her demure smile, her naïveté…he wanted to stay with her, to protect her. Yet, a nagging thought came to his mind, the security at the palace had gone downhill, being much worse than in bygone times. Maybe he was more experienced and could keep from getting caught; though it seemed foolish to have to sneak around one's home. Sakura hadn't moved an inch since Xiao Lang kissed her, except to place her hand over her cheek, the exact spot he had kissed her. She suddenly flushed a rosy pink blush.

When the guards finally found Sakura, they were half-expecting her to resist; they were surprised when she followed them back willingly. As Sakura was walking away, she turned slightly, a movement that went unnoticed by either guard and took a sidelong glance at the wall Xiao Lang had stood upon. He had already disappeared.

~*End Flashback*~

Xiao Lang turned over to his side and propped his head up with one hand. "I never told her my name…" he said aloud, after a moment.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Master Li?"

Grumbling as he woke, Xiao Lang sat up and stretched. It had taken him a while to get to sleep. He still couldn't erase her from his mind. Opening his eyelids, he saw his advisor before him. "What is it?" he mumbled sleepily.

Jin Chi bowed respectfully to his Master. "I'm sorry for waking you, Master Li," he said, "but Prince Li wishes to speak with you."

Though there were many Li's with the title of Prince, himself included, Xiao Lang had a feeling he knew who it was. Jin Chi had left his room by then, laying out his daily clothes for him. The elder man had chosen simple white clothing, as a remembrance to the former Emperor, since after all, a person wore white when someone had passed on. It symbolized death for them. Slipping into them quickly and not bothering about his hair, which never stayed in place anyway, he walked out of his room and into the entrance hall, somewhat like a parlour. Shui Ken sat on the chair, drinking his tea, apparently displeased about being forced to wait. Xiao Lang stood by the doorway, unable to move, completely stunned by Shui Ken's clothes. His brother wore a brilliant robe, dark yellow in material, set with jewels and sparkling beads. Xiao Lang was quick to anger.

"Our father just passed away," he cried, storming into the room, "and you can't even dress as though you cared for him?" He stopped in front of him, seething, while Shui Ken just looked at him calmly and returned to his tea. "I know you don't care," he continued, "you've never liked him, but couldn't you at least pretend to? For the sake of your mother; even just to save face if you want!" Xiao Lang was obviously angry for he shared a deep bond with his father, even if he _was_ the fifteenth son.

Shui Ken raised an eyebrow, still watching his brother calmly. "You really need to calm down, brother," he said, "after all, I don't think father would want us to be mourning for him. It's just a great waste of time." Xiao Lang clenched his fist and was ready to punch his older brother, only…if only _he_ were the elder of the two.

"What do you want?" he asked, knowing he was speaking rudely. He didn't care; Shui Ken didn't even know how to respect their father, the former Emperor. He didn't deserve any politeness.

Placing the tiny cup down on the table, Shui Ken stood up. "There's no one else around," he said, referring to the fact that most of the other brothers were either asleep or helping prepare for the memorial service, "and I just needed to show off a beautiful treasure that came in for me yesterday." He flashed a smile and walked out of Xiao Lang's home. "Come on," he said, making his way outside. Xiao Lang was having a hard time controlling his fist; it was shaking so hard because…He scowled darkly. Some people cannot be reasoned with. He unclenched his fists and followed his brother outside.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Here's your breakfast, Princess," said Tomoyo as she walked into the room, placing a tray down with a bowl of congee and a pot and cup for tea. Sakura nodded absently as she combed her hair. Then someone took the comb out of her hand. Sakura turned around and looked at Tomoyo, who smiled at her. "Please sit down," she said, indicating to the chair before the table. Sakura obeyed and sat down and Tomoyo began to brush her long brown hair. "Prince Shui Ken is coming and I must help you dress up for when he arrives," she told her Mistress as she worked. "I heard he's bringing along a guest with him as well." Sakura stiffened when she heard the name "Shui Ken". She abruptly stopped Tomoyo from brushing and stood up, walking to the window and pushing it open.

"There's no need," she said, "because I refuse to see him." She stood by the window, looking at the bright blue sky. Birds fluttered by and Sakura wished she was a bird; free to go fly wherever she wanted. Tomoyo clasped her hands together, horror-stricken.

"But, Princess," she protested. "We mustn't disobey orders, especially not those from a Prince."

Sakura was silent for a moment. "I don't care," she said, after the pause. Suddenly, Tomoyo was at her feet, bowing to her. Sakura watched the other girl, surprise etched on her face. Tomoyo looked up at her pleadingly.

"Princess," she said, "I don't want to force you into doing something you don't want to, but please understand. If I don't get you prepared, I'd either go to jail or be put to death. You would be punished as well. I don't want anything to happen to you." And as suddenly as she had gone down, the handmaiden was sitting up again, her hands clasped, stars in her eyes. "But I would love to get a chance to help prepare you. It'd be so much fun if someone was able to wear the robes I created." Sakura chuckled at the handmaiden's free-nature.

"All right," replied Sakura. Tomoyo clapped her hands excitedly and Sakura sat back down again. As soon as Tomoyo was finished, Sakura had taken on a whole new look. In fact, she couldn't even recognize herself when she saw herself in the looking glass. Her long brown hair had been put up; a headdress, with a blooming pink flower in the center, sat atop her head while her hair was pulled back and braided. It was then held up with little butterfly-like clips. At the back of the headdress was a white flower-like ornament that pinned the rest of her hair in place.

Even Sakura's clothing had changed. She now wore a simple long pink skirt that was pleated on both sides, which flowed down so far that it was brushing the ground; even with her high shoes on. Overlapping this was the top, stopping past a few inches past her waistline. It was made of the same pink material and shade but the cuffs were decorated with beads and jewels on a deep rose coloured border. The high collar had clasp-like buttons as did the rest of her shirt, trailing down to her lower back. Tomoyo stepped back after she fitted the last button and sighed. "It looks beautiful," she said. Sakura felt rather embarrassed for she felt like someone was going to put her on a pedestal as an ornament of some sort. "What do you think?"

"It's lovely," answered Sakura honestly, "but…must the colours be so elaborate? After all, my family and friends died recently and this is so…"

"I know, Princess," sighed Tomoyo. "But those were the orders. I'm really sorry," she added, "about your family." Sakura looked up at her and smiled sadly.

"Thank you," she said. Tomoyo was about to add something else when they heard someone proclaim the arrival of Li Shui Ken and Li Xiao Lang. Tomoyo hastily went downstairs while Sakura smiled inwardly, thinking about her new friend. Yesterday, she had been to tired and heartbroken to size up her new handmaiden. But now she saw that Tomoyo had a gentle nature and always seemed to be anxious to please. She followed her handmaiden down a few seconds later. Tomoyo was already on the ground bowing as Shui Ken entered the room, giving the usual "ten thousand years/immortality" chant. Sakura had been taught moments before that she needed to bow her head slightly when the Prince arrived. She hated doing it, though.

"Greetings, Prince Li," she said coldly, unable to keep disdain out of her tone. She despised him and she never tried to hide it. Shui Ken smirked slightly. He didn't care if she hated him. All that mattered was now she would be his.

"Xiao Lang," he said, turning to his brother, "I'd like you to meet my new concubine, straight out of Japan." Sakura bowed slightly to him as well, still being respectful.

"Japan?" thought Xiao Lang with alarm. "That's the country he…" He turned back to listening to his brother speak.

"…name's Kinomoto Sakura." He began listening attentively. That name! When he studied the girl before him, Xiao Lang could clearly see the emerald green eyes from the night before. It was her! She was to be his brother's…? He tried driving the thought out of his mind. To see her sweet, pure innocence…destroyed by his brother. He couldn't let that happen. 

Sakura grimaced with distaste. His concubine? Where did he get that idea? Shui Ken finished introducing his brother to her, someone by the name of Xiao Lang. "He's probably as despicable as his brother," she thought to herself. As she lifted her head, her eyes caught sight of warm amber ones staring back at her intently. Her eyes widened and she took a step backward, tripping on her shoes. Xiao Lang leapt forward in an instant and caught her arm; his back turned to his brother. Without Shui Ken seeing, Xiao Lang put a finger to his lips, gesturing for her to keep silent, which Sakura understood, giving him a subtle nod.

"How clumsy of me," she said, murmuring to herself. "Thank you." Xiao Lang nodded curtly before turning to his cousin.

"So why did you want to bring me here?" he asked. "Merely to brag you have a new concubine?" Shui Ken nodded, smirking.

"That was the idea, little brother," he said, still smiling. "Even only nineteen-years-old, this will be my sixth and you don't even have one." Xiao Lang scowled in Shui Ken's direction and pretended to walk out, as if offended by his brother's words. In actuality, he didn't know how long he could keep his emotions in check and wanted to be out of there before his brother made him want to do some serious damage. Shui Ken looked over at Sakura, walked to her and taking her hand in his, kissed it gently. "I'll be back later, my cherry blossom," he told her. To Sakura's instant relief, Shui Ken followed his brother outside and she released the breath she was holding.

"I don't believe it," she thought, her mind racing. "He was actually Shui Ken's brother. But they're so different…Xiao Lang was kind and gentle to me last night…or was that just a cover? Could he really be just like Shui Ken? I sincerely hope not…" She closed her eyes. "But why do I care?" She opened her eyelids again, confused. "Is it because I've never met anyone like him before?"

~*~*~*~*~*~

"So that's the reason you invaded Japan?" exclaimed Xiao Lang. "To get a girl?"

Shui Ken was back to his tea while Xiao Lang was pacing angrily around the room back in his home. "That's the general idea," he answered.

"It doesn't answer why you burned the city to the ground!" continued Xiao Lang.

"It's quite simple, really," replied Shui Ken, as if explaining to a mere child. "With the city gone, the girl has nowhere else to go and she has no choice but to stay here." He sipped his tea for a minute. "With me," he added, putting his cup down.

"Don't you even care for the fact that she obviously despises you?" asked Xiao Lang, trying one more time.

"It doesn't bother me at all," countered Shui Ken. "She's too beautiful to pass up; besides, I like someone with a little spirit. Too much isn't good, and none at all is boring, but she's got some and it makes things more interesting. Do you understand that at least?"

Xiao Lang had no answer to that. Shui Ken's actions were wrong, completely wrong. And the fact that he cared so little about their father's death was far worse. Shui Ken watched Xiao Lang, studying him carefully. Shui Ken wasn't stupid - on the contrary, actually - and it wasn't a secret that there was no love lost between them. They never liked each other to begin with and Shui Ken never missed a chance to show off something to Xiao Lang. But something was different this time…He just couldn't put his finger on what it was exactly.

Shui Ken, wanting time to think about the change in his brother and the important matters at hand, excused himself and left the room. Xiao Lang sat down and held his head in one hand. "How am I going to save Sakura from my brother?" he wondered.

  
Author's Note: Omigosh! I can't believe how many people have reviewed the first chapter! ^_^ I hope you like the second chapter as much as you did the first! You, the reviewers…you've inspired me to write more!! Keep reviewing if you like this! And thanks to all the people that have already reviewed! The adventure has barely just begun. These first few chapters are merely a prelude to the real story…

I am not trying to make China out to be a bad country or anything! It's just a few particular people from China that aren't exactly what you would call angels, that's all! I would never try to give China a bad name! Ever!

About the clothing in the beginning…well, I don't really know, but I had learned from a few people (family, if you will) that when someone died you wore white and I also remembered that in a lot of television shows, the Emperor almost always dressed in fancy yellow (gold) robes. Please correct me if I'm wrong on this.

I thought I had mentioned Sakura's age in the last chapter, but…*shrugs* Sakura is now sixteen years old; as is Xiao Lang and Tomoyo. Shui Ken is nineteen, which I know I mentioned in this chapter. ^_^

Author's Note to Kloud: Sakura with magic? W-e-ll, remember, this is a prelude. I don't really want to give any hints. =) Maybe I'll supply a couple occasionally, but not any to completely give away the storyline or the ideas I have planned…

That necklace Fujitaka gave Sakura…visualize Sakura's star key, minus the wings. Okay! No more hints!

I've barely started this fic and the "Author's Notes" are already really long! o_O

*Sakura   
~The Animé Archives Team


	3. Promises Broken

**The Guiding Star**

Promises Broken: Chapter Three

By: Sakura

  
"You wanted to see me?"

It was after his father's ceremony and the Emperor's second son, Li Shuk Yue, had requested to see Xiao Lang in private. Xiao Lang wasn't the only son of the former Emperor that knew magic; Shuk Yue, was also a magician and the twelfth son, Wing Kuen, was one as well.

Shuk Yue didn't answer his sibling right away. After a few moments, though, he stood up, a scroll in his hand. Walking over to his brother, he placed it in Xiao Lang's hands. Xiao Lang accepted it, a questioning look on his face. "Read it," commanded Shuk Yue. Xiao Lang obeyed and after undoing the string, he unrolled the scroll. The red stamp at the bottom left hand corner was the first thing to catch his attention. It was the seal of the Li Elders! Well, not just any group of Elders, but these were the ones that were in charge of his training. Xiao Lang paled, the colour in his face draining as he stared at it. What could they possibly want from him? He looked to the beginning of the scroll and read it.

Li Jian Wei, the leader of that group of Elders and the one whose name was on the seal, had given him a mission! Before returning to his home weeks ago, directly after the time he completed his training, Xiao Lang desperately wanted to be sent on a mission, so he could prove his worth. But the Elders had refused his requests. Ironically, now that he had one…Shuk Yue watched his brother intently as the colour slowly returned to Xiao Lang's face.

"I'm not going," said Xiao Lang quietly. Shock registered on Shuk Yue's face. Xiao Lang's eyes flickered up for an instant and he caught the expression. Then looking down at the scroll, he began rolling it up, knowing Shuk Yue had already known the contents of the summons.

"Why not?" asked Shuk Yue, almost coldly. Xiao Lang looked up at his brother, a tinge of sadness in his eyes. He often looked up to his older brother because he was a magician like him and because he had taught him a great deal when he was younger. It would hurt him to lose his brother's support in this manner, but he couldn't go…he'd be letting Shuk Yue down, but he just couldn't go…He wasn't about to leave Sakura alone, with no one at all. Shuk Yue immediately read the thoughts in Xiao Lang's mind, plainly seeing them in his sibling's eyes. "You can't help her," he said, "not this way. You can't go against Shui Ken's wishes. Already he has Tsai Fang and Kim Tang on his side. They do whatever he pleases, though unbeknownst to me the reason why. Besides, she's only one girl. There are plenty of other girls. Just forget her."

Xiao Lang clenched his fists. That wasn't the point! It was because of a promise he had made…a promise he couldn't break…

~*Flashback*~

Standing by the open window in her room, Sakura sighed and breathed in the deep fragrance from the flowers below, savouring the peace. Prince Shui Ken was away on a brief mission to bring his brothers back for their father's ceremony, much to his disgust. But Sakura was pleased that he was gone…this gave her at least one more day before he chose to do something with her…something she dreaded deep within her heart. Tomoyo knew her mistress was worried about something, and though she suspected what it was, Sakura would never tell her - tell anyone - for she was afraid. Afraid saying it would only make it happen sooner…

Suddenly, a figure, dressed in fresh white robes, landed on the balcony before the window. Sakura stepped back, startled by the sudden appearance of the person. "How are you faring, Princess?" he asked. Sakura's eyes lit up as she recognized Xiao Lang. Looking around to ensure no one had seen him, Xiao Lang swiftly slipped inside through the window. Sakura was rather nervous about being alone in a room with a man, but when she looked up into his amber eyes, she knew he would never do anything to harm her. Even if he was a stranger to her, she felt that she had known him all her life. But though she knew she could trust him, Sakura was still trying to recover from his abrupt appearance, not really knowing how to react.

Remembering her manners, Sakura bowed slightly to him in respect. "Greetings, Prince Li," she said softly, her eyes downcast. Xiao Lang didn't know why, but this girl made him do things he would never have done before, at least, never so impulsively. He was always cool and calculated, always stopping to think first. But with her…Xiao Lang reached out with one hand and placed it under her chin, gently lifting her head up to face him. Sakura's gaze locked with his instantly, his warm amber eyes melting her completely.

"Forget the title," he said softly. "Please call me Xiao Lang." Sakura nodded mutely, not knowing what to say in response. Xiao Lang, taking the girl's hands in his, led her to the chairs by the table, and seated her down on one of the chairs while he took the seat across from her. Sakura blushed lightly and Xiao Lang could feel his ears burning slightly, though he didn't understand why. Sakura could feel her heart beating very quickly. There was something about this Prince…something about him that always made her feel safe.

Walking silently up the stairs, Tomoyo suddenly stopped when she heard someone speaking in her mistress' room, and it wasn't her mistress. It was a male voice. Did Shui Ken return so soon? Peering through the open slit between the two doors, the handmaiden caught sight of Sakura with…Prince Xiao Lang! Her hand flew to cover her mouth as she stared in shock. Sakura was sitting at the table, with Prince Li directly across from her, her hands held in his. The Chinese Prince said something to the Japanese Princess, making her blush wildly, though Sakura didn't fully comprehend the reason why it affected her so.

Then he said something else, and to the amazement of everyone present, Sakura laughed; a beautiful musical laugh. Xiao Lang laughed as well, all the while watching Sakura out of the corner of his eyes. She had the sweetest expression on her face when she laughed. Tomoyo's mouth slowly curved into a mischievous smile as she realized what was going on. They were in love! They just didn't realize it yet…The handmaiden leaned closer to the door, trying to listen, yet stay unnoticed.

After their laughter died down, Xiao Lang suddenly looked serious again and he tightened his grip on Sakura's hands. "Sakura…" started Xiao Lang slowly. Sakura looked up at him questioningly, a look in her eyes as if to ask if something was the matter. "Do you like my brother? Shui Ken?" Sakura's eyes widened at the question and she immediately withdrew her hands and stood up, slowly backing away from him. Xiao Lang stood up as well.

"Why…why do you ask?" she questioned, trembling slightly. "Did he ask you to come? To talk to me? I - I don't want anything to do with him!" She buried her head in her arms, shoulders shaking.

"She's afraid," thought Xiao Lang to himself. "Just at the mere mention of Shui Ken's name, she becomes so frightened…" Xiao Lang approached her slowly. "No…" he said. "I came here because…" He paused for a moment. Why did he come here? He didn't understand it himself. He just…wanted to see her so badly…Xiao Lang enveloped Sakura in his arms the moment he saw a tear drop. "Sakura," he said, "please don't cry. I don't ever want to see you hurt." Sakura looked up at that moment and Xiao Lang gently wiped her tears away with his thumbs. "No matter what, Kinomoto Sakura," he continued, speaking without thinking it over first, saying whatever he felt in his heart, "I'll always protect you. Whenever you need me, I'll be there for you. That's a promise." Sakura, eyes shining with unshed tears, nodded understandingly, a shy smile flickering across her lips.

Tomoyo sighed to herself, her hands clasped together. The scene was pure enchantment to her. If only it could be caught on paper…Coming up with an idea, Tomoyo quickly descended the stairs, grabbing a sheet of paper and a brush along the way.

~*End Flashback*~

"Well?" said Shuk Yue, breaking into Xiao Lang's thoughts. "What is your answer?" Xiao Lang didn't say a word; instead he was staring hard at the ground, his arms shaking slightly with his fists clenched tight. Shuk Yue's expression softened slightly, though barely noticeable. "Xiao Lang," he said, "you know you cannot disobey the Elders. You must accept this mission, no question." Xiao Lang suddenly turned around and headed toward the doorway. "Xiao Lang!" barked Shuk Yue sternly. "Where do you think you're going?"

Xiao Lang paused by the doorway for a moment. Then he slowly turned around, eyes still fixed on the ground. "I have to see someone…" he answered quietly. Turning back, he ran out of the building. Shuk Yue watched his brother leave, shaking his head, not understanding what his little brother had in mind but knowing what he was about to do.

"It will break her heart," Shuk Yue told himself, "but it's the only way…"

~*~*~*~*~*~

Tomoyo hummed softly to herself as she looked over her most recent painting. She loved art in any form, whether they were clothes or drawings. A smile of satisfaction was on her face as she studied the picture. She giggled, rolled it up and placed it in a secret corner she made in the wall for all of her art. No one should ever find this…Putting her supplies away, her mind drifted off to the scene between Sakura and Xiao Lang a few days ago. This was what she had made the subject of her painting. It just had to be captured somehow.

Suddenly, someone burst into the room. Tomoyo looked up, startled out of her reverie. Even more astounding was the fact that that someone was Xiao Lang. Tomoyo was about to bow to him when Xiao Lang held up his hand for her to stop. He was panting heavily, like he had been running. "Where's your mistress?" he asked her. Tomoyo wordlessly pointed up the stairs, leading to the bedrooms. Xiao Lang went to them quickly and ascended. Tomoyo raised her eyebrows curiously.

"What was that all about?" she asked aloud, to no one in particular. Taking a glance outside, she saw the guards had not moved an inch from their position by the circular entrance to the courtyard, nor had they announced the Prince's arrival. How did he manage to skip by them unnoticed so many times? That guarded area was the only entrance.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Prince Xiao Lang, what is the matter?" asked Sakura. Xiao Lang had entered the room moments before, finding Sakura sitting on her bed, quietly sewing something. Ever since he came in, he paced back and forth before her, never saying a word. The truth was, he didn't know how to tell her…Sakura decided to keep silent and just wait until he was ready to talk.

"Sakura…" he started. When Sakura lifted her beautiful emerald eyes to look at him, Xiao Lang suddenly hesitated. He didn't want to tell her…to hurt her…but he had no choice. He turned around quickly, facing his back to her, his eyes staring at the ground. "I'm really sorry," he continued in a low voice. "I'm leaving…leaving this place…" His fists were clenched tight, his arm shaking slightly.

"What is he trying to say?" wondered Sakura silently. Sakura approached him, placing a reassuring hand on his shaking arm. The arm stopped shaking and Xiao Lang turned to face her, taking the hand in his, holding it tight.

"Sakura," he said softly. "What I'm trying to say is that I have to go and…I'm sorry, but I can't protect you anymore…" Sakura stared at him for a moment, completely motionless, letting his words sinking in. Then she immediately withdrew her hand and pulled away from him.

"So you lied to me," she said softly.

"No, Sakura," he protested, reaching out to her. "I-"

"I don't want to hear it!" she cried. She turned and fled out of the room, running down the stairs.

Xiao Lang stopped, his hand outstretched mid-way. "Wait, Sakura!" he called. It was too late; she was out of hearing distance. He dropped his hand and his gaze shifted to the ground again. He couldn't go after her…he had no right to do such a thing. "I'm so sorry…" he whispered, knowing that instead of helping her like he thought he could, he caused her more pain.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Sakura found herself back at the gardens, the very same place she had first met Prince Xiao Lang. She had managed to pass the guards with an excuse that she was going to visit the gardens and declined their offer as an escort, saying that her handmaiden would join her shortly. She just wanted to be alone…

Why was it that every time someone promised her something, it turned out to be nothing more than a lie? Of course, most people meant to keep the promise, but still…After meeting Xiao Lang, Sakura thought things would be different, things would change, that she would finally have someone she could trust with her whole heart. "But he turned out to be just like everyone else," she thought bitterly, "giving empty promises."

Unable to hold it back any longer, Sakura let the tears fall again, then buried her face in her hands. She didn't understand why it always happened to her…What was it about her that made people think they could promise her something and then take it away in a blink of an eye? Tears rolled down her cheeks and she didn't bother wiping them away. Why should she care anymore? What was the point?

Suddenly, someone swept Sakura into their arms, holding her close to them. Sakura's hands still covered her face and she didn't see who it was. But though she couldn't see who it was, the feeling of being held in someone's arms was rather familiar, though, there was something different about it this time…

Slowly lifting her head and bringing her hands down away from her face, Sakura found her voice to speak. "Xi- hmm?"

Someone had placed a finger against her lips, telling her not to say anything. The person took in her tear-streaked face in one glance. "I never would have thought you'd miss me so much," he said in a low voice. "Don't cry anymore because your true beauty is in your smile.

"This doesn't sound like Xiao Lang," thought Sakura, her heart sinking. Looking up, her eyes widened and she took a step back, trying to break the embrace.

It was Prince Shui Ken!

  
Author's Note: I knew I forgot to do something…I forgot to make a disclaimer -_-.  
Disclaimer: I do not own Card Captor Sakura or any of its characters. I'm merely using them in a story. The story, however, belongs to me (I wrote it, after all ^_~) and it is not part of the real history of China and Japan nor is it part of CCS. The events have been made up simply for the purpose of this one story. Also, any original characters belong to me as well.

So, Xiao Lang has a new mission…the troubles of being a magician *sighs*. How is he going to protect Sakura from Shui Ken now? I don't think many people will like the ending of this chapter…Anyway, I still feel motivated to write *giggles*. Thanks for all the reviews! The name "Shuk Yue" is not Yue, Sakura's guardian in CCS. It was rather coincidental that his name is "Yue" as well. I didn't notice until after I used it. Since I sort of like it, the name's staying ^_^. The same goes for "Jian Wei". He's not the same Wei, the one that is Syaoran's guardian in CCS.

Author's Note to Starlight Rose: Thank you for all the little history lessons! I love them ^_^! They're really helpful for a person who doesn't really know that much about Chinese history…*sweatdrops*. Anyway, thanks again! *sighs* I wish I learned this kind of stuff myself and not have to keep bugging other people for information (e.g. family *giggles*).

Author's Note to The Seeling Wand: If you're referring to WWII, when Japan invades China, I know about that. But this fic is supposed to take place hundreds - to a thousand - years ago, so they're completely different events. Besides, it's a fan fic. No need to take it too seriously, right? ^_~

I missed one thing when I mentioned the pendant. It's like Sakura's key minus the wings **and** the key itself! Just the circle and star. And when I said no more hints in the last chapter's AN, well, that pendant was a really big hint.

One final thing, in the future chapters, would you like Tomoyo to have a big role or only S + S? I need to know soon or else I can't start chapter four. It's essential, as you can see. =)

*Sakura   
~The Animé Archives Team


	4. Treason

**The Guiding Star**

Treason: Chapter Four

By: Sakura

  
"I have no right, I have no right, I have no right."

Xiao Lang continually repeated that sentence in his head non-stop as he packed. Sakura belonged to Shui Ken and there was nothing he could do to help her. Maybe if his mission never existed he might be able to…but no one was allowed to turn down the Li Elders. He dropped his few possessions in a corner and sat down at his table, holding his head in his hands. Why was he so worried about one girl? Why should he lose sleep just because of her? But when he thought of her - her sweet smile, the sparkle in her emerald green eyes - he knew he could never forget her. Her image would forever be imprinted in his mind.

Getting up, the Chinese Prince was about to continue packing when he heard a commotion outside of his room, in the sitting area. Walking out, he saw a girl - Sakura's handmaiden - trying to push her way past the guards. But the two men were much stronger than her and held her back.

"Please let me go," she implored, "it's important for me to see Prince Li! My mistress needs his help!" Ignoring her words, the guards roughly pushed her to the ground. As they moved to unsheathe their swords, Xiao Lang commanded for them to stop. Both guards turned, astonished to see the Prince, dropped to the ground and bowed to him. Xiao Lang approached the girl and Tomoyo stood up, brushing herself off.

"What's wrong?" he asked her. "What's so important that you must disturb the peace of the night? Don't you realize people are sleeping right now?"

Tomoyo went on her knees, half-afraid, and bowed at his feet in respect. "Please help me," she begged him, "my mistress…she needs help and I don't know whom to go to. I believe you're the only one that can help. She needs you."

"You don't mean Sakura?" he said alarmed. Tomoyo looked up, tears in her eyes, nodding. "What happened? Is she okay?" he asked, his voice suddenly filled with wild concern.

Tomoyo shook her head. "She's not okay," she answered, "not since she left suddenly earlier. But then she came back long after you left and she wasn't alone. Shui Ken was with her."

Xiao Lang's breath drew in sharply. Shui Ken was with her…His hands clenched into tight fists. "He appeared to be dragging her along," continued Tomoyo, "and he wouldn't let her go, even when she asked him to leave her alone. She told him she didn't want him or anything to do with him but no matter what she said, he ignored it. I was in her room, waiting for her to return at the time and he pushed me out of the room when he pulled her along." The handmaiden burst into tears, her hands covering her eyes. "Prince Li, I'm afraid he's going to…" she choked out, "and Sakura doesn't want to…I don't know what to do…"

Reaching for something, Xiao Lang withdrew an object from underneath his pile of possessions. "Lead the way," he commanded Tomoyo. Tomoyo nodded and hastily stood up, running back to Sakura's home, with Xiao Lang close behind. His guards were about to follow when Jin Chi stopped them.

"Let him go," he told them, watching the Prince leave. "This way, he can finally begin his mission." The guards didn't answer, not knowing what he meant.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Please…" pleaded Sakura, "let me alone. I don't want to do this." Shui Ken forcefully kissed Sakura, effectively pinning her against the wall. He gripped her chin in one hand and stroked her hair, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Then letting go of her, he undid the top button on her collar and was about to continue when something caught his eye. A gold star pendant shimmered brilliantly while nestled at the base of her neck. Shui Ken was captivated by the object for a moment and held it in his hand. Suddenly remembering what he was trying to do, he released the necklace and looked at Sakura. Sakura was trembling, completely frightened out of her mind. Shui Ken smirked and pushed her bangs out of her face and kissed her again. Sakura braced her hands against his chest and tried to push him away but he gripped both of her wrists with his hands. "Don't fight me," he told her, "just give in. There's nothing else you can do."

Tears streamed down Sakura's face when Shui Ken kissed her. "Xiao Lang," she thought, "you promised…how could you break it?" When Shui Ken began pulling her closer to him, Sakura immediately protested against this action. "No!" she cried. "Let me go!"

Suddenly, the window coverings burst open, revealing a crouching figure, dressed all in black, a mask covering his face. Sakura's eyes widened as the figure leapt forward and knocked Shui Ken to the ground, forcing the latter to release Sakura. Sakura leaned against the wall for support and watched as the figure unsheathed a sword and held it in both hands; the blade's tip touching Shui Ken's neck.

"I believe she told you to let her go," said the masked figure in a low voice. Shui Ken watched the figure intently, a look of amusement in his eyes.

"You think you can kill me?" asked Shui Ken loudly. "I'd like to see you try." The figure tightened his grip on his sword but before he could make another move, Shui Ken's guards filed into the room, swords drawn, pointing them at the would-be assassin. Shui Ken stood up, his hand lowering the blade. "Just drop it," he told him calmly. The figure, seeing he was grossly outnumbered, dropped his sword, causing it to land on the wooden floor with a loud clatter. One of the guards approached the figure and tore off his mask, revealing Prince Xiao Lang. Sakura gasped aloud and her knees, no longer able to support her, gave way and she crumpled to the ground.

Xiao Lang turned the second she fell and tried to catch her, but he faced an impenetrable wall of guards. Tomoyo was at hand, however, and catching Sakura before she fell, supported her mistress as she stood. Sakura watched, wide-eyed and speechless, at the younger of the princes. Xiao Lang had tried to…save her…But why? A guard forced the black-clothed Prince to turn around and face Shui Ken. Shui Ken smiled, an expression of near delight in his eyes as the chief guard pronounced sentence on his brother.

"Prince Li Xiao Lang," spoke the chief guard, "for attempting to assassinate Prince Shui Ken, ninth son of our former Emperor, you are charged with treason. You will be jailed until further notice and judgment will be given to you at a later date." Xiao Lang seethed inwardly with rage and controlled himself from launching himself at Shui Ken and finishing him off then and there. He knew that would simply be a declaration of death for himself.

With his hands tied behind in his back, two guards placed firm grips on Xiao Lang's shoulders and began to steer him out of the room. Xiao Lang looked back as they pushed him out, back at Sakura. Her hands covered her mouth and fear was in her eyes…fear for him. Something shiny at her throat caught his eye almost immediately. A gold star set within a pink circle! Before he was completely out of the room, Xiao Lang mouthed the words "I'm sorry" to her. Then he disappeared from sight as the majority of the guards left, forcing him forward. Two guards remained by Shui Ken's side.

Shui Ken was smiling to himself, immensely pleased by the turn of events. He knew Xiao Lang hated him and that his true colours would appear sooner or later. This worked well in the ninth son's favour, for now he had a sure-fire way to get rid of the fifteenth son. No one could save him now. The first son was far too busy, trying to prepare himself to take his role as the next Emperor. The second son had suddenly been called away by the Li Elders on some mission. The third and fifth sons did as he wished, Shui Ken having twisted them around his finger at an earlier date. The sixth and seventh sons had been sent with a small army to far distant regions of China to recover lands lost and conquer new grounds.

The Chinese Prince turned around to face Sakura and Tomoyo, his robes whirling as he turned. Sakura was staring at the ground, trying to avoid his gaze. "I'll be back later," he told her, "seeing how there are some things I need to take care of regarding Xiao Lang's treachery." At the mention of Xiao Lang, Sakura quickly looked up and her soft emerald green eyes locked with Shui Ken's cold grey ones. The look in his eyes…Sakura immediately adverted her gaze again and Shui Ken hid a smirk. But the smile dissolved in an instant. He had noticed the look of significance between Sakura and Xiao Lang just moments before and wondered briefly what it meant. Jealousy crossed his heart, but he drove it away. No matter; it was time to get rid of Xiao Lang…for good. Without so much as a farewell to the handmaiden and her mistress, Shui Ken left with his guards.

As soon as Shui Ken stepped out the doorway, Tomoyo went forward and closed the door while Sakura collapsed and sat by her bedside, her head buried in her arms. Tomoyo sat down on the bed and stroked her mistress' shoulders comfortingly. "He came back," she cried into her arms, "he said he was going away, that he was breaking his promise…but he still came back." Sakura lifted her head, tears streaming down her face, confused. She turned to her handmaiden. "I don't understand this. He was supposed to leave today but instead, he's stuck in a cell because of me."

Tomoyo looked away, fidgeting with her hands, as she answered, "I told him to come." Sakura stared at her with surprise. Tomoyo immediately turned back to face her. "Please don't be angry with me," she beseeched her mistress. "I know you hate Prince Shui Ken and…I knew I couldn't do anything by myself, so I went to Prince Xiao Lang for help. And he agreed…"

"What have I done?" thought Sakura. "It's all my fault he's where he is now. I'm so sorry, Xiao Lang…"

~*~*~*~*~*~

Xiao Lang leaned against the wall of his cell, deep in thought. He had been thrown in moments before, landing face down on the brownish yellow hay, stripped of all his robes except for his white button-down shirt and white pants that he wore beneath them. His cell wasn't very large and it was without any windows. The only source of light he had was from a torch lit in the hallway. The bars were made with thick wood, strong enough to hold in an ordinary man, but with his powers, Xiao Lang could have escaped easily. But escaping that way would be too troublesome. There had to be another way…

He had acted so rashly! And Shui Ken…he must have suspected something or why would he have raised his voice earlier? He could hit himself for not seeing that sooner. Still, Xiao Lang did not regret his actions in any way. He was glad he was able to help Sakura and draw his brother's attention away from her, even if for a short while. But his mission…he couldn't forget about that. What did it matter now? If the Li Elders heard about how he tried to kill his older brother, they would dismiss him in a second.

The Chinese Prince stood up, surveying the small cell again. Since he had never been in there before, he never realized how unkempt it was. The conditions were rather appalling. Of course, special attentions were never paid to prisoners. Hearing footsteps on the pavement echoing through the hallways, Xiao Lang immediately settled back in the hay, pretending to act forlorn and even maybe helpless. Two guards appeared at the door and Xiao Lang looked up, watching them intently.

"You've got a visitor," barked out one of the guards. The wooden door opened and a figure dressed in robes a rich shade of green, a green hat to match, and his long ponytail resting over one shoulder, entered the cell. The figure raised his hand and waved the guards away and they nodded, closing the cell door and locking it. Then they took up positions down the hallway. The man lifted up his head and grinned impishly at Xiao Lang.

"Wing Kuen!" cried Xiao Lang with surprise. Remembering the guards, he lowered his voice to a whisper. "What are you doing here?" Wing Kuen held up a scroll in the dim light, then handed it to Xiao Lang.

"You must leave," said Wing Kuen, "the Elders want you to see them immediately."

"The Elders?" repeated Xiao Lang. "Even after what I did earlier?" Wing Kuen nodded.

"I have no idea what your mission is, brother," he replied, "but it must be very important if the Elders ask for you specifically. Whatever the case, we have to get you out of here; and fast."

Xiao Lang raised an eyebrow. "And how do you expect me to do that without causing a commotion?" Wing Kuen merely grinned. Holding up his ponytail, he withdrew a small dagger from his robes and in one swift motion, he cut it off and held it up. Xiao Lang was shocked. What did he think he was doing? Had he gone mad?

"Here," said Wing Kuen, holding out the braid to him. Xiao Lang took it, a bewildered expression on his face. Wing Kuen proceeded to remove his hat and his outer green robes, leaving on an identical set of white pants and shirt. "Wear them," he ordered, "because it's the only way you'll be able to escape. You're more known for your short hair and no one would suspect anything when they see you with this braid and me here with short hair." Seeing Xiao Lang hesitant to do as he was told, Wing Kuen repeated his request in a harsher tone. Of course, not wanting to let his brother's efforts go to waste, Xiao Lang donned the forest green robes and the hat, which incidentally kept the braid in place. Wing Kuen smiled at the result.

The two half-brothers, Wing Kuen and Xiao Lang, were often told how similar they looked physically. They had approximately the same height and stature as well as the same shade of brown hair. The one major difference between them was their eyes; Xiao Lang had amber-shaded while Wing Kuen's was slightly maroonish. As well, they were both magicians and shared a close bond, being only one year apart and having similar personalities. It was Wing Kuen who helped him through those tough months of training; training alongside with him as well.

"Wing Kuen…" said Xiao Lang softly. Wing Kuen simply smiled.

"I'll be just fine here," he told him in a carefree tone, sitting on the hay and leaning against the wall. "Don't worry about me!" His expression suddenly became serious. "But I am worried about you," he added, "seeing how it will be harder for you to complete your mission without the star pendant."

"Pendant?" repeated Xiao Lang. An image of a small gold star set in a pink circle flashed through his mind.

"Yeah," answered Wing Kuen, not noticing the change of expression on his younger brother's face. "You should remember, the one with a gold star…"

"…in a pink circle?" interrupted Xiao Lang. Wing Kuen nodded.

"You _do_ know what I'm talking about then," the older Prince said cheerfully, resting his arms behind his head.

"Sakura…Kinomoto Sakura has it!" Wing Kuen bolted up immediately.

"You mean the Japanese Princess?" he asked incredulously. "She has the star?" Xiao Lang nodded in response. "That would mean she has magical powers, as well," said Wing Kuen thoughtfully. "She'll be a great ally. You better bring her along with you." Seeing Xiao Lang stare at him, Wing Kuen added, "you need that star more than anything. And besides, aren't you in love with her?" Xiao Lang turned as red as a beet.

"I…never…said…that…" he choked out. Wing Kuen acted as if he didn't believe him and chuckled at his brother's expense.

"Xiao Lang, you better go now," he said, a serious expression on his face again. Before Xiao Lang could object, Wing Kuen raised his voice. "Guards! I'm ready to leave now!" Pushing Xiao Lang to the door, Wing Kuen settled back into the hay, his back to the door, showing his short brown hair but trying to hide his eyes. The guards appeared and unlocked the door, letting Xiao Lang step out. Xiao Lang kept his head slightly bowed and his eyes on the ground, following the guards out of the prison.

Moments after the guards and Xiao Lang left, Wing Kuen murmured something to himself softly. "Goodbye, brother, and good luck."

  
Author's Note: Everyone, please take just a few seconds of your time to review this chapter/fic ^_^. I'd really appreciate it! Thanks!

This chapter was kind of weird…does anyone agree with me? My mind's kind of…not with it lately. Too much to worry about, I guess. It might be stress. *sighs* I know, this chapter came out very, very late…Lately, I haven't had time for anything…Maybe in a week or so, when everything is back to normal, I can work on my fics more, but at the moment…Oh wait, after this week, exams are coming up. o_O I'll see what I can do…

So, anyone hate Shui Ken yet? *sighs* Maybe he's too…er, mean. Especially to Syaoran. *shrugs* I'll try to get into more detail about the other sons later, though they are rather unimportant characters in this fic. Obviously, we're beginning to get into Syaoran's mission *smiles* and he won't be going alone.

Author's Note to Starlight Rose: *mutters "I don't like my library."* I went to look for the book you suggested, but they didn't have it (even the bookstore didn't have it). They had one book by that author, but not the book you mentioned. *grumbles darkly* Oh, well, thanks for the suggestion =). I did find another history book, however, but I just haven't had any time to read it.

*Sakura   
~The Animé Archives Team


	5. Sentenced to Die

**The Guiding Star**

Sentenced to Die: Chapter Five

By: Sakura

  
"Li Xiao Lang will die tonight."

Hiding a smile of satisfaction, Shui Ken repeated the words of his Minister with false concern, "Die? But why?" Shui Ken's Chief Minister raised an eyebrow.

"Anyone who attempts to kill a son of our former Emperor must be punished severely," he said, "even if he is a Prince himself." Shui Ken continued his act of fake pity, but beneath his saddened exterior, he was thoroughly enjoying the moment.

"He's only a child," he said softly, "not really sure of what he was doing. Does he have to be punished this way?"

"May I remind you, Prince Li, that someone at sixteen years of age is no longer a child," answered his Chief Minister. "Nonetheless, he tried to kill _you_. According to law, his actions must be justified. I'm sorry this means your brother will die, but there's no other way."

"Fine, if that's how it is…so be it," replied Shui Ken, sighing resignedly. He waved his Chief Minister away and sat with his head resting on the back of both hands at his desk. When the latter left the room, Shui Ken's face broke into a smile. His act of sympathy had completely fooled his Minister. "This is it for you, Xiao Lang," he murmured to himself. "You won't be able to escape death this time."

~*~*~*~*~*~

Wing Kuen rested back comfortably against one pile of hay, the rest spread to cover the ground of his prison. He had complete faith in Xiao Lang; he would be able to complete any mission the Li Elders gave him. But that Japanese girl…Kinomoto Sakura… Wing Kuen had failed to mention to his brother that he had met this Sakura just after he had talked to the Li Elders.

~*Flashback*~

"Why, Xiao Lang?" wondered Sakura to herself as she sat by the waterfall in the gardens. "Why did you risk your life for me? Why didn't you just leave, like you said you would?" Her hand tightened her grip on her handkerchief. "And now you're sitting in prison…all because of me…"

"Why so sad, Princess?"

Sakura looked up at the sound of the voice and her eyes widened, her face suddenly paling. The person chuckled. "You look like you've seen a ghost," commented the figure.

"Xiao Lang?" said Sakura in a half-whisper. But the moment she said his name, she knew this wasn't Xiao Lang. "Who are you?" she asked. The man she had mistaken to be Xiao Lang sat down beside her.

"My name's Li Wing Kuen," he told her, "twelfth son of the former Emperor." Sakura studied him as he spoke. He was definitely not Xiao Lang; she could see that now. Although at first glance she thought he was. Wing Kuen had long brown hair, braided and resting on his shoulder and while Xiao Lang had warm amber eyes, his brother had maroonish ones that twinkled with laughter. "So you're the girl Xiao Lang defended?" continued Wing Kuen. Sakura didn't reply, not wanting to be reminded of that. She avoided his gaze and, standing up instead, began to walk away. But before she could go far, a hand grasped her wrist, stopping her in her tracks. Wing Kuen turned her around and still kept his hand around her wrist.

"I'd have to say that was very disrespectful," he told her seriously, "especially to a Prince. Perhaps I ought to report you to Li Shui Ken, seeing how you are one of his concubines." Seeing the horror-stricken expression that suddenly appeared on Sakura's face, Wing Kuen stifled a chuckle. "I was just kidding," he said with a smile. Relief washed over Sakura but her expression was soon replaced with confusion. Jokes were unfamiliar to this Japanese Princess and joking about a matter like that was rather odd.

"I didn't mean to frighten you," said Wing Kuen apologetically, releasing her hand, "I only wanted to meet you. You see, I was just curious about who could make Xiao Lang put his life on the line like that. He does not usually act so impulsively."

"I'm so sorry," responded Sakura softly. "I never expected him to do such a thing. It's all my fault he's in prison and-" Wing Kuen placed a finger against her lips, gesturing her to stop talking.

"Don't blame yourself," said Wing Kuen gently. "Besides, Xiao Lang always has a way of getting himself out of these situations. And when he can't," added Wing Kuen with a wink, "I can always bail him out." Sakura smiled at him.

"Thank you," she said, still speaking softly. Wing Kuen stood speechless for a moment, awed by her sweet, gentle expression, her innocent beauty. He was beginning to understand why Xiao Lang felt so drawn to protect her.

Regaining his powers of speech, Wing Kuen said, "you want to leave here, right?" Sakura nodded. "Then I'll help you." A look of hope flitted onto Sakura's face briefly but suddenly a guarded expression appeared.

"Do you really mean it?" she asked. Wing Kuen nodded.

"I do," he answered, "and I always keep my promises. Go back home and wait. You'll be leaving tonight…with Li Xiao Lang." Sakura didn't reply right away. Instead, she looked up into his eyes and studied them, searching to see if he was telling the truth. Finally, Sakura nodded again.

"Thank you," she whispered.

~*End Flashback*~

"I did sense a small, almost insignificant, amount of power from this girl, Xiao Lang," murmured Wing Kuen to himself, "now that I think about it. If she does possess the star pendant, she must have an inkling of power…power still undiscovered, hidden deep within her." The echo of footsteps from the hallway broke through his thoughts and Wing Kuen sat silently, eyes fixed on the ground. Two burly guards appeared at the doorway and unlocked it, one carrying two pairs of chains.

"Prince Li Xiao Lang?"

"Yes?"

"Come with us." Wing Kuen yielded to their request by standing up, not lifting his eyes once. One guard stood by the doorway while the other came forward with the chains, snapping one pair shut around his ankles and - after pulling his arms behind him - the other pair clamped on his wrists. Wing Kuen immediately realized what this meant. Xiao Lang had been sentenced to death.

"I don't regret my actions one bit, brother," thought Wing Kuen as he was led away from the prisons. "Remember to take care of that Cherry Blossom. There's just something about her…"

~*~*~*~*~*~

Back in his room, Xiao Lang took off the green robes and his hat, catching his brother's clipped hair before it fell to the ground. He stared at it wordlessly for a moment before snapping back to reality. Finding a little bag, he carefully placed it in. "Thank you, Wing Kuen," he said softly as he slipped into a different set of robes, "for giving me this second chance. I won't let you down. I'll complete my mission for the Elders and then I'll get you out of that prison." Looking around his room, he couldn't find the bags he had packed earlier. What happened to them?

"Master Li?"

Xiao Lang whirled around with surprise. How did anyone know he was here? He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his advisor, Jin Chi, then tensed up again and placed a guarded mask on his face. "What is it?" he asked. He wondered if Jin Chi knew he was supposed to be in prison.

"I finished packing your belongings," his advisor told him, "and you are ready to leave anytime." Xiao Lang's guard dropped.

"Wu Jin Chi…you…you know?" Jin Chi nodded.

"You must hurry," said the elderly man, ushering the Prince out of his room, "before they learn the man in prison is not Li Xiao Lang." Jin Chi paused for a moment and smiled gently at his Prince. "I am always ready to serve you, Master Li, and in any way," he said. Xiao Lang stopped as well and returned the smile.

"Thank you…my friend," he said.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Li Xiao Lang, step forward."

Xiao Lang obeyed and approached the table, dragging his heavy chains as he walked. Xiao Lang was considered exceeding fortunate for, rather than going through bouts of agonizing torture, his death would be simple: drinking poison. It would not be as fast as getting beheaded, but Shui Ken didn't want him to die too painlessly. Xiao Lang was forced onto his knees before the Chief Minister and the Chief Guard. Prince Shui Ken stood beside them as well. One of the guards took the poison, contained in a small teacup, and walked over to Xiao Lang while the second guard forced his head back and his mouth open.

Shui Ken watched the scene, nearly revelling in it, amusement carefully hidden from everyone else but still showing plainly in the expression of his eyes. This was it…this was the end for the wretched fifteenth son of the former Emperor. This thorn on his side will finally be removed…permanently. But something didn't feel quite right. For one thing, why didn't Xiao Lang struggle, even a little bit? He was never so accepting to fate before, why would he start now? And another thing: why were his eyes shut tight?

"Hold on a minute," said Shui Ken. The guards halted and looked at him with surprise. They backed away when Shui Ken walked to Xiao Lang and stood before him. "Take off the chains around his wrists," he commanded. The guards stared wordlessly at him, not believing what he was saying. But after receiving his icy-glare, they quickly did as they were told. The chains dropped with a heavy _clang_ to the ground. Shui Ken took the poison from the guard and thrust it in Xiao Lang's hands. "Drink it," he said.

Xiao Lang nodded. As he brought the cup to his lips, Shui Ken stopped him again. "Why are your eyes closed, Xiao Lang? Maybe you're just afraid to face death in the face," he said tauntingly. Xiao Lang's eyelids flickered open only for a second and closed immediately.

"I fear no one," he answered. Shui Ken gasped the moment his eyelids flickered up. Then Xiao Lang smiled crookedly at Shui Ken. "And I'll never fear you, _brother_." Pointed emphasis had been placed on his very last word. He quickly put the poison-filled cup to his lips and drank up all the liquid. Xiao Lang gritted his teeth and clutched his chest as a burning pain ripped through his chest, tearing him apart internally. Finally, he slumped over, unmoving. Shui Ken stared at the still figure below him for several moments before turning away. He silently faced the Chief Minster and Guard.

"Xiao Lang isn't dead," he said, eyes focused on the ground, speaking in a calm tone, yet filled with deadly rage.

"What do you mean, Prince Li?" asked the Chief Guard. "You just saw him-"

Shui Ken suddenly looked up, eyes flashing angrily. "That's _not_ Li Xiao Lang!"

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Prince Li Xiao Lang…is dead…?" Sakura asked shakily. The messenger nodded. Before the messenger could say another word, she turned and fled up the stairs to her room. She leaned against the wall but then slid down into a curled-up position. Horror was plain to be seen in her emerald eyes, horror mixed with grief. Tears flooded them, threatening to break through. She was too stunned to even move anymore.

"You promised me, Wing Kuen," she whispered, her voice still shaky. "How can I leave now? You lied to me…why do I keep trusting people?" But before her tears could fall for Xiao Lang, Tomoyo suddenly burst into the room, a masked and dark-clothed figure behind her.

"Mistress!" she cried. "You must leave right away! Before they realize what's happened!" Sakura stared at her with confusion, the tears still threatening to fall. "Mistress!" cried Tomoyo again, this time more urgently. Sakura refused to budge. The masked figure gently pushed Tomoyo aside and took off his mask, revealing Prince Xiao Lang. That's when the floodgates broke. Xiao Lang held Sakura in his arms as she cried on his shoulder. He wasn't quite sure why she was crying, though. Sakura, on the other hand, barely getting over her shock, was relieved and happy Xiao Lang was okay…that he wasn't dead…But did that mean…

"Sakura?" called Xiao Lang softly as he pulled away a bit just to look into her tear-streaked face. "Do you want to leave here? With me?" Sakura could only stare numbly at Xiao Lang for a few moments, letting his words sink in. He wanted to take her away from there…away from the place she had been forced to call home for the last few weeks. She threw her arms around Xiao Lang in a hug.

"Yes," she whispered into his ear, "yes, I'll go with you." Xiao Lang hugged her back tightly and they would have stayed locked in their embrace forever if Tomoyo hadn't been urging them to leave.

"I've managed to have all of your belongings shipped out of the palace," said Tomoyo quickly. "All you need to do is leave. I believe Prince Li has that taken care of." Xiao Lang nodded.

"Tomoyo, what about you?" asked Sakura. "Aren't you coming with us?" Tomoyo shook her head sadly.

"I'm sorry, Mistress," she said quietly, "but I can't. If I went, it would only cause more problems for you and Prince Li. I want you two to escape safely." Sakura reached out and hugged her handmaiden.

"I'll miss you a lot, Tomoyo," she said, a few tears escaping again. "We'll find a way to get you out of here, too, I promise." Tomoyo put on a brave smile for her friends and, after slipping on a light black robe to cover Sakura's clothes, mouthed the word "go". Xiao Lang nodded to her, showing his gratitude. Pushing open a window, he slipped out, his arm encircled around Sakura's waist, holding her close to him. Sakura clung to him tightly as he jumped down two stories to the ground.

Tomoyo watched from the window, praying they would be okay. Xiao Lang pressed himself against the wall of the building when he saw the guards on duty. He would not be able to get over the walls without attracting attention. Realizing their dilemma, Tomoyo struck upon an idea. She pushed the center table flying to the ground, the teapot and cups shattering in a giant crash. Then she moved to the bedside, throwing the blankets about and took hold of the bed curtain. Exerting all her strength, she ripped them from the ceiling, and tangled herself up in the mess.

The guards heard the commotion and ran in to see the problem. They found the handmaiden lying in a tangled heap with the bed curtain, trying to pull free. One of the guards kindly helped her out of the mess of fabric and she thanked them wholeheartedly, apologizing for her clumsiness and that they could go back to their posts while she cleaned up. The guards left and stationed themselves in their former positions; but the fifteenth son of the former Emperor, Xiao Lang, and the Japanese Princess, Sakura, were long gone.

  
Author's Note: …what have I done…? *weeps* Why Li Wing Kuen? Why?! *sniffs* It was hard to kill off an original character…I don't really want to do that again…I'm sorry…(Pc Gurl will probably get mad at me now…) *cheers up a little bit* But it doesn't mean he'll be completely gone forever, right? *half-smiles* I could never do that to him…I sort of liked him; even if he did appear for only one and a half chapters. And at least his death wasn't gruesome. What do you think (about Wing Kuen)?

By the way, it's three-thirty am. I may not have been thinking straight when I wrote this chapter. Well, tell me what you thought of this chapter and others.

*Sakura   
~The Animé Archives Team


	6. Allies

**The Guiding Star**

Allies: Chapter Six

By: Sakura

  
"…and you have no idea whatsoever?"

Wu Jin Chi sat up and nodded sadly before moving back into a bowed position on the ground. He sat before the council of Ministers and Prince Li Shui Ken, whom were trying to figure out where Prince Xiao Lang had disappeared to. Shui Ken stared long and hard at the elderly man, trying to see if he was lying about his Master's whereabouts. But Jin Chi's face was like a stone, betraying nothing.

"There are few places Xiao Lang could go," thought Shui Ken, "and some of those places are far too obvious. I highly doubt he would go to Li Di Xuan and Li Mei Ling's home since he is trying to escape. That would be too easy and-"

The doors to the courtroom flew open as a guard hurried in, unannounced. He approached the stand and kneeled on the ground, right next to Jin Chi, bowing to the Chief Minister. The Chief Minister, in a sour mood that an execution had taken the life of the wrong former Emperor's son, barked out, "what is it now?" The guard sat up, still on his knees, one hand held tight over another in front of him, a show of respect.

"Do I have permission to speak?" asked the guard in a no-nonsense tone. The Minister nodded. "We have just found out that the Japanese Princess, Kinomoto Sakura, has disappeared. There are no traces of her among the palace grounds. It is assumed she has somehow run away." At the mention of "Sakura", Shui Ken rapidly changed his gaze to the guard. As soon as the guard finished speaking, he quickly strode forward in a few steps and roughly pulled the guard to his feet, shaking him.

"What do you mean 'run away'?" he hissed angrily. "How could she possibly escape? Her home was one of the most protected areas in the palace grounds." The guard winced as he chose his words, hoping he wouldn't anger the Chinese Prince further.

"I don't know how," he managed to choke out, "the guards on duty there told me they had been there all day, not leaving once. One of my men went to bring her to you, like you asked, and he found she was absent from her home. Her handmaiden says she has no idea where she went. We went to look for her, but no one has seen her. It's like she completely disappeared." Shui Ken released the man and the guard, nearly hit the ground, recovering quickly enough to regain some dignity as he coughed for breath.

"Disappeared, huh?" thought Shui Ken fuming silently. "And Xiao Lang has disappeared as well. This is too much of a coincidence. He _must_ have taken her when he left…" His hands clenched into tight iron fists. When he finds Xiao Lang, he will make him pay…Shui Ken turned around and stormily left the room.

One place Xiao Lang would definitely go to is the Li Elders, the magicians he had lived and trained with for the past months. The only problem was that the only people that knew where they lived had to have magical lineage. But only three of the former Emperor's sons had this; the second son, Shuk Yue, who had left on a mission a few weeks ago, the fifteenth son, Xiao Lang himself, and the twelfth son, Wing Kuen, who was dead. Shui Ken slammed his fist against the wall, succeeding in splintering the wood.

This was so incredibly frustrating! Who else would know? Then it dawned to him. Li Di Xuan had magical lineage and he had trained with the Elders a year or so ago…then he would know where they were located! He strode quickly to find a messenger he could dispatch to Di Xuan's home and…he had someone he needed to see…regarding a certain Princess…

~*~*~*~*~*~

Since leaving the palace, Xiao Lang and Sakura, travelling on one horse, had ridden through meadows and thick forests, putting as much distance between the palace and themselves. Sakura's arms encircled Xiao Lang's waist, the only way she could keep balance while Xiao Lang's arms were around her, holding on to the horse's reins at the same time.

From time to time, Sakura would look up at Xiao Lang and wonder how she could have been so lucky to find someone who could give her freedom back to her. But there was someone else who had aided Xiao Lang in giving her freedom - and his - and Sakura wondered if Xiao Lang knew about Wing Kuen's death…and how he was coping with it. When she looked at him, his mouth was set in a determined line and his eyes portrayed a deep serious. It was as if he knew…

Finally slowing to a canter while going through a clear meadow, Xiao Lang's face lost most of the seriousness and he looked down at Sakura with gentle eyes. "How are you feeling?" he asked her. Sakura smiled feebly.

"I'm okay," she told him, "but what about you? Xiao Lang, are you really okay?" Xiao Lang nodded, smiling cheerfully; a cheerfulness that confused Sakura.

"Of course I'm okay," he replied. "I'm finally away from that chained-to-the-ground palace, and you're now out of Shui Ken's clutches for good. What is there to worry about?" Sakura stared at Xiao Lang, almost in horror at his tone. His brother had just…Sakura opened her mouth to say something, but Xiao Lang, not noticing, continued, "but I am rather worried about one thing. Sakura, do you know what my brother did for me?" Sakura didn't know whether to nod or shake her head at his words. Xiao Lang, a far away look in his eyes, kept going.

"To let me be free, my brother, Li Wing Kuen, has taken my place in prison. People always said we looked similar and in the darkness of the cells, they'll never tell the difference. As soon as I can, I'm going back to the palace and free him since he has no actual right to be there. I can't wait for you to meet him! You'll like him a lot; everyone does."

"Xiao Lang…" Sakura realized it right away. Xiao Lang didn't know! Xiao Lang never knew his brother had been executed in his place! And he looked so happy when he talked about his brother…Hearing Sakura softly speaking his name, Xiao Lang looked back down at her, an eyebrow raised in a questioning look.

"Is something wrong, Sakura?" he asked with concern in his tone. "If you're tired, we can stop and take a break. I didn't mean to tire you like this. I suppose this all happened too quickly…even for me." Sakura shook her head.

"I'm not tired," she answered, "but worried…about you."

"About me?" repeated Xiao Lang with surprise. "What is there too be worried about?" Sakura bit her lip, not knowing how to say it. It was obvious he cared deeply for his brother and the news could devastate him. But at Xiao Lang's look of encouragement, Sakura forced herself to try again.

"Xiao Lang, your brother…Li Wing Kuen…he…I…I don't know how to say this…but…" Xiao Lang suddenly silenced Sakura by covering her mouth with his hand. He swiftly pulled tight on the reins, stopping the horse.

"Shh…" he whispered into her ear, still holding her close to him. "I hear someone coming." They sat completely still and silent, Sakura straining to hear what Xiao Lang had picked up a few moments before. Out of nowhere, the sound of hooves beating the ground could be heard. A dark brown horse came galloping into view; its rider dressed in a plain tunic with a hood covering their face. Sakura could feel Xiao Lang tense up, as if preparing for a confrontation, while he held her close to him.

"Xiao Lang!"

At the single call, the tension in Xiao Lang dissolved immediately. He recognized the voice that belonged to the rider.

"Mei Ling!"

The rider pulled her horse up short and slowed it to a trot, stopping it when she reached the pair. She lifted her hood up, folded it halfway and rested it atop her head. The girl was beautiful; with long silky raven-black hair pulled back into a very simple ponytail and keen light-maroon eyes. She looked from Xiao Lang to Sakura, and back to the former. "It's good to see you well again, Xiao Lang," she said with a smile.

"Mei Ling, what are you doing here?" asked Xiao Lang almost incredulously.

"I'm here to take you to my home, of course. Come on," she said, gesturing for him to hurry, "we don't have much time. Because of your haste departure from the palace, guards and soldiers are beginning to search all over China for you. In fact, I saw a few not far from our current location." Mei Ling turned her horse around and began to return the way she came. Xiao Lang cursed silently and quickly followed his cousin.

~*~*~*~*~*~

As they came in view of Mei Ling's home, Sakura's eyes marvelled at its simplistic beauty. Instead of the golden roof tiles and extravagantly decorated pillars and columns like the palace, the home was decorated in a simple fashion, topped off with tastefully chosen colours that seemed almost to blend in with the scenery. The roof was covered with dark green tiles, matching the surrounding trees while the pillars were a shade of mellow red, having been worn down with time. The entire structure and complex was built well to keep out intruders and was monitored by guards extensively. But as Mei Ling liked to say, that was all for show.

Li Mei Ling, and her twin brother, Li Di Xuan, were both highly skilled in the martial arts. They were related to Xiao Lang through both his parents; their father, now deceased, was a younger brother to the former Emperor, and their mother was a cousin of Li Yelan. Though neither of his parents possessed magical lineage, Di Xuan knew magic, like Xiao Lang did, but Mei Ling did not. And though a woman trained in martial arts was rare, Mei Ling, wanting to feel like she could keep up with her brother and her favourite cousin, Xiao Lang, forced it upon herself to learn how to fight, since she didn't have magic like them.

When it came down to just strict combat, Mei Ling could beat her brother, almost any time. But against her cousin, she could never beat him fairly. He would let her win sometimes, but she knew that she wasn't truly defeating him in combat. Sometimes this knowledge alone helped to create the initiative for her to work harder. But that never changed the fact that Xiao Lang was her favourite cousin; Wing Kuen coming in as a close second.

As soon as they past the main gates, Mei Ling slid off her horse and led it to the stables. Xiao Lang dismounted, leading his as well, and letting Sakura sit on the horse's back for a little while longer. He stifled a yawn, but it never escaped Mei Ling's notice.

"It's been a long day for you, Xiao Lang. Why don't you go inside and take a rest?" she suggested when they reached the stables. "Di Xuan wants to see you later. Something about the Li Elders." She sighed and smiled crookedly at him. "He won't tell me a word about it. My, you all are very secretive about your magic." Xiao Lang's eyes glanced over at Sakura momentarily. "Don't worry," said Mei Ling, noticing that as well, "I'll take care of her." He nodded in response.

Xiao Lang walked to Sakura's side and placed a reassuring hand over hers, smiling gently at her and helping her dismount from the horse. He then turned and hurried into the main house, Sakura watching him go. She turned back and looked over at the Chinese girl, rather nervously. Mei Ling was studying her, her arms folded and her expression completely serious. By Mei Ling's stance and manner, the Japanese Princess felt rather intimidated by her. Finally, Mei Ling smiled and her arms dropped to her side.

"You must have cast a very powerful spell to make Xiao Lang fall in love with you so quickly," she commented as she tied the horses reins to the pole. Sakura stared at her in surprise. A powerful spell? Xiao Lang in love…with her? What was she talking about? Mei Ling, seeing the confused look in Sakura's expression shook her head. "Never mind," she said, "I might just be seeing too much into this." Finishing up with her work, she bowed formally to Sakura. "I'm Li Mei Ling, a cousin of Prince Xiao Lang," she continued, with a friendly tone. "I'm really sorry about what happened to your country. I bet if Xiao Lang had been there at that time, he would never have let Shui Ken do anything like that. For the time being, you're welcome to stay here with me and Di Xuan for as long as you like."

Sakura bowed formally as well to Mei Ling. Though the latter seemed to be tough and unapproachable at first, she could be really friendly and warm up the instant she saw a friend in a person. "Thank you," she replied softly. "I'm Kinomoto Sakura…from Japan." Sakura winced when she said the last word in her sentence. The thoughts of her fallen country still lay deeply rooted in her memories. Mei Ling, understanding this immediately, put her arm around the foreign girl and led her toward the house.

"If you need anything, I'll always be available to help you." Sakura nodded, smiling gratefully at the other girl. "Come on," added Mei Ling, "I'll show you to your room."

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Sit down, handmaiden."

Tomoyo obliged to Prince Shui Ken's request and sat down at the table, while he took a seat opposite to her. His guards stood at the doorway, completely blocking it. Tomoyo regained her composure after the shock of Shui Ken's sudden arrival and poured some tea for him; which he took and finished in one gulp. Setting the little teacup back on the table, he began to speak in a disarming manner, an almost pleasant smile on his face.

"Has your Mistress ever returned, handmaiden?" Tomoyo shook her head sadly.

"I haven't seen her since last night," she told the Prince. "My Mistress told me she was going to go see the beautiful gardens and maybe pick a few flowers. She hadn't returned since then."

"Why is it the guards on duty say that Sakura never once passed by them?" continued Shui Ken, still smiling falsely.

"I don't understand why myself," answered Tomoyo almost innocently. "Earlier in the evening, though, after my Mistress had left, I accidentally tripped on my shoes while I was carrying a tray of tea and cups and the whole tray went flying out of my hands. The table was knocked over as well and, while trying to regain my balance, my Mistress's bed curtains were torn down and I couldn't get untangled. This whole scenario made a rather loud crash, I should say. Those nice gentlemen came in when they heard the commotion and helped me out. But since that time, I haven't seen a sign of my Mistress."

"Hmm…" muttered Shui Ken to himself, "I never received a word about this. That story will need to be checked out." Standing up, he said to Tomoyo with a tight smile, "I will come back another day, handmaiden, and we will discuss where your Mistress could have gone." Tomoyo nodded in response. The Chinese Prince turned and left abruptly, his guards at his heels.

Tomoyo sank deeper into her seat and sighed with relief. That was too close. How had he known to come here straight after hearing Sakura was missing? Was it that obvious? Tomoyo stood up and slowly crept to the window, peeking out. An extra guard had been stationed at the entrance this time. Shui Ken obviously wasn't completely buying the handmaiden's story. Tomoyo turned around and leaned against the wall, sinking to the ground. She clasped her hands together and curled up into a little ball. Lying to a Prince…that could be considered treason! But still…she had no regrets…

"At least I know you're all right, my friend," she whispered.

  
Author's Note: Recognize anyone (besides Meiling)? If you've been following my other CCS fic, "The New Cards", you would have recognized one of my original characters, Li Di Shang, Syaoran's cousin is/will be in this story. I might add in other characters from my other CCS fic like this. The one I have in mind so far is Chen Chi Yuen. Note that I have switched to the Mandarin romanization for the characters. You've already seen Xiao Lang, and now Mei Ling and Di Xuan (Di Shang) are there too. Does anyone know the Mandarin romanization for Yelan? I think that's CLAMP's version.

So, er, what did you think (of this chapter)? I noticed my fic can no longer be called unique anymore and that just kills me (figuratively)…Someone else is using the CCS characters in China, too, set in the past. I guess I'm not the only one that came up with that idea. *sighs* At least I think I was one of the first that did and this fic was unique for the last few months…right? *sighs again* Argh…this is just pointless babble. It ought to be ignored, ne? Maybe a review will cheer me up. =Þ I'm kidding, but review anyway! Me = bad mood. (Computer's not working and all my other fics are there. Luckily I hadn't started this chapter before the computer went down.)

*Sakura   
~The Animé Archives Team


	7. Hearing the Truth

**The Guiding Star**

Hearing the Truth: Chapter Seven

By: Sakura

  
"You're kidding, right? Xiao Lang, you can't be serious."

Xiao Lang shook his head. "I'm not kidding," he said. "I'm taking Sakura with me when I leave here."

"But to see the Li Elders?" protested Di Xuan. "They'll eat her alive! You know how they are…" Memories of their training still stuck out fresh in both of their minds. It hadn't been easy - _they_, the Elders - hadn't been easy on them.

"I'm going to ask if I can take her with me," said Xiao Lang quietly.

"And if they refuse?"

"I'm not leaving her alone," replied the Prince firmly. "I promised to protect her and I nearly broke that promise once. I'm not going to let that happen again." Di Xuan was about to object again when Mei Ling entered the room.

By this time, she had changed out of her tunic and now wore a simple blue dress. She was tall for age and always opted to wearing flats instead of heels. The light blue skirt she wore lightly swept the ground as she walked. The top of her attire was dark blue and the buttons trailed from her high collar down through the right. Her sleeves were the same shade of blue as her skirt and hung loosely from her arms. Half of her hair was twisted into circular patterns and pinned to the top of her head, while the rest was braided and rested lightly on her back and shoulders.

Noticing that both her brother and cousin had ceased to talk when she entered, Mei Ling raised an eyebrow. "Magic talk again, I presume?" she asked. Di Xuan shook his head.

"Not exactly," he replied. "Xiao Lang wants to take the Japanese Princess to see the Elders. I've been trying to talk him out of it, but he won't listen."

"Wing Kuen advised me to take her," said Xiao Lang, "because Sakura has the star pendant. She could really help me out on my mission."

"And she can get killed," objected Di Xuan. "I still don't think it's a good idea."

"What's not a good idea?"

Xiao Lang whirled around at the voice. "Sakura," he started, but his voice suddenly left him and his mouth felt very dry. Sakura was standing by the doorway. A few days before, Wing Kuen and Tomoyo, plotting with Mei Ling and Di Xuan, concluded that the latter two would be the ones to supply the runaway pair before Xiao Lang left to begin his mission. Mei Ling knew Tomoyo would send their items but was surprised at a rather large, extra trunk. Inside, she found dozens of clothes, shoes, hairpieces, and little trinkets.

Tomoyo wanted Sakura to have something to wear while she travelled with the Prince. Sakura could not believe Tomoyo would be so kind as to make so many clothes for her to wear and wanted to find some way of thanking her. Mei Ling told her that the best thanks she could give her faithful handmaiden was by wearing the clothes. So she helped the Princess choose something suitable for travelling.

Knowing elaborate clothing would stick out in a small town or village, Tomoyo made most of her clothes simple. Sakura's current attire consisted of a long faint-pink skirt with a dark pink, almost vest-like shirt over. The shirt was buttoned down in the center with dark green borders and buttons, decorated in between with a flower pattern consisting of a variety of colours. She had long overhanging sleeves the same shade as her skirt, but also bordered with green and had the same flower pattern as her shirt. The sight of her took Xiao Lang's breath away.

"Well," he started.

"I said I didn't think it was a good idea for you to be up and moving about too much," interrupted Di Xuan, "after the previous excitement. You need to rest." Di Xuan bowed formally to the Japanese Princess. "I'm Li Di Xuan, cousin to Li Xiao Lang and Li Mei Ling's brother. It's nice to meet you." Sakura bowed and introduced herself as well. "Xiao Lang never told me how you beautiful you are," commented Di Xuan, a twinkle in his eyes.

"Thank you," replied Sakura shyly, her cheeks colouring lightly. Mei Ling glanced over at her cousin to see his reaction and she wasn't the least bit surprised to catch him glaring at Di Xuan. Di Xuan noticed the venomous look aimed at him as well and responded indifferently.

"Di Xuan and I have something to take care of so we'll be back later," Mei Ling said suddenly, half-dragging Di Xuan out of the room. Di Xuan waved goodbye to the pair. After they left, Sakura turned back to Xiao Lang.

"Were you looking for me?" she asked him. Xiao Lang nodded.

"I just wanted to know how you were feeling." The Chinese Prince smiled gently at her. "You see," he continued, "I was thinking of leaving soon, but the journey may be long and I wanted to make sure you were rested before we started."

"Journey?" repeated Sakura. "You mean…you want me to go with you?" Xiao Lang placed his hands on her shoulders.

"I would never leave you behind, ever," reassured Xiao Lang, "but…" His voice suddenly faltered, his courage failed, and he released his grip on her. His eyes were focused on the ground, as if he saw something interesting to look at. "If you don't want to come with me, it's entirely up to you."

"Xiao Lang…" Hearing his name made Xiao Lang look up and he locked his eyes with shining emerald ones. Sakura took his hand in hers and smiled at him. Her smile melted him inside and all doubt vanished from his mind. "Xiao Lang," she said, "I do want to go with you. You saved me and I can never forget that. You helped me when no one else could. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for setting me free." Xiao Lang smiled, his attitude almost veering to one of childlike happiness.

"I know it'll be a little risky," he said as he placed his arm around Sakura's shoulder and began to lead her out of the room to the hallway, "but the first thing we'll do is get my brother out of prison, all right?" Before Sakura could answer, he continued, "With him by our side, we can begin our journey…and my mission." It pained Sakura to see Xiao Lang like this…not knowing his brother had already passed on…that he could no longer help anyone. She _had_ to tell him. She would try to break it gently to him…but why? Why couldn't she find the words to say it right?

"Xiao Lang," she started, Xiao Lang's eyes still on her. The words wouldn't flow properly and came out nearly incoherently. "He…Wing Kuen…I mean…I…Xiao Lang, he's-"

"Xiao Lang, come quickly!" cried Mei Ling, bursting into the room suddenly, cutting Sakura off.

"Is something wrong?" asked Xiao Lang, concern evident in his voice. Mei Ling shook her head.

"It's nothing like that," she said, "it's just I heard our messenger has returned with news from the palace. I thought we could keep tabs through him to see how Wing Kuen and everyone else are doing there. I thought you might want to talk to him and maybe give him messages to send back." Xiao Lang nodded and quickly followed Mei Ling out of the room. Sakura didn't move from her spot. She was thinking about Li Wing Kuen. He looked so much like Xiao Lang and his smile…it was so carefree, nothing seemed to trouble him. But now…

"Are you coming, Sakura?" asked Xiao Lang, his voice breaking into her thoughts. Sakura nodded and the pair left to catch up with Mei Ling.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"The audacity of him! To think he could run away and make his own brother die in his place!" The man angrily slammed his fists on the table.

Shui Ken sipped his tea seemingly unfazed. "Don't break the table," he said. He then nodded in agreement to his brother. "Calm down, Kim Tang," he added to the fifth son, "Xiao Lang is not worth getting angry over. He was just a fool - a selfish fool at that." The third son, Li Tsai Fang, raised his eyebrow and watched his younger brother curiously.

"You're taking this rather calmly, Shui Ken," he commented. "Aren't you the least bit furious that Xiao Lang took your concubine? What was her name? 'Sakuma'?" Shui Ken's grip suddenly tightened on the cup, but he took a deep breath and calmed himself before speaking.

"Her name is 'Sakura'," he corrected his brother, "and Xiao Lang might not have been the one to kidnap her. There's no proof at all."

"Don't be ridiculous," scoffed Kim Tang unwisely, "it _was_ Xiao Lang. No one else would dare to go near her for fear of you. Not to mention that-" Shui Ken cut him off by throwing his cup to the ground, causing the cup to shatter into millions of pieces, droplets of tea flinging everywhere. He stood up abruptly, anger in his eyes, and grabbed his brother by the collar, not caring that he was younger of the two. It didn't matter; Kim Tang never held much power, even if he was much older, not to mention he was a bit of a coward.

"I will make Xiao Lang pay," hissed Shui Ken. "No one takes something of mine and gets away with it. Not even my own brother. He will die in the end, and by my hand; I'll make sure of it." With that said, the ninth son released Kim Tang, brushed himself off, and left the room. Kim Tang quickly tried to scrape together whatever dignity he had left and hold it together.

"You should know better than to anger our little brother," said Tsai Fang. Kim Tang sulked but said nothing. Tsai Fang glanced out the window and watched as Shui Ken greeted the first son, Chi Shing, formally as he walked by. Chi Shing was always accompanied by his ministers and guards now. "Looks like our older brother will soon be taking his position as Emperor of China," said Tsai Fang quietly. He sighed inwardly. "I always wanted it…but never as desperately as Shui Ken…"

~*~*~*~*~*~

"…and Li Chi Shing will be named the new Emperor in three days." Ng Fu Shan concluded and rolled up the last scroll he had brought along with him. Fu Shan was a close friend of the Li siblings and he worked in the palace as a messenger. To help the twins keep in touch with the events in the palace, he often wrote down vital information and sent it to them. This time, however, he was able to come along himself.

"You've caused quite a bit of commotion with your escape, Prince Xiao Lang," said Fu Shan cheerfully, "although Prince Shui Ken is trying to keep it as quiet as possible. He doesn't like being beaten at his own game. Of course, now that the Princess, Sakura, is missing, as well, it's hard to keep these things hidden."

"Yes, yes," answered Xiao Lang, a little impatiently. He only wanted to hear about how his brother was faring in prison. "How's Wing Kuen?"

"Prince Wing Kuen?" repeated Fu Shan. Sakura watched him quietly from where she sat and noticed his expression changed, becoming very grave. "Prince Li Xiao Lang had been sentenced to death four days ago," he said quietly, his expression now sombre, "and Prince Li Wing Kuen had been executed in your place, mistaken for being you."

Xiao Lang stared at Fu Shan in total shock. His face paled suddenly and he stood completely still, unable to move. Wing Kuen…he was…dead? No! He can't be! It wasn't true! "You're mistaken, right?" he said, his voice barely audible. "Wing Kuen could never go…not him…"

Fu Shan shook his head sadly. "I wish I was mistaken, Prince Li," he said softly, "but it's no lie. The ministers really executed Wing Kuen, through poison. It had been discovered afterward by Prince Shui Ken that they had executed the wrong Prince and now soldiers are searching all over China for you, and the Japanese Princess."

Unable to take the weight of the news any longer, Xiao Lang dropped into the nearest chair and stared at the ground, not saying a word. Mei Ling tried hard to suppress her tears - tears of sadness and outrage - while Di Xuan held his sister in his arms, speaking soothing words to her, but his face as pale as Xiao Lang's. Fu Shan sat, still in his kneeled position, his head bowed as he thought of Wing Kuen. Wing Kuen had been his friend, too - he had been everyone's friend.

In Xiao Lang's eyes, shock slowly changed to anger…anger directed completely at Shui Ken. He had no doubt in his mind that Shui Ken had somehow convinced the Ministers to hurry with their judgement regarding "Xiao Lang". And that their final judgement had been death…His heart…it was like something reached out and ripped a part of it away from him. His closest brother, the one he had cared for most out of all his siblings and had treated him the same, was gone…Anger burned in his amber eyes; and it would have been better if no one approached him while he was in this state. A hand lightly touched his shoulder, causing Xiao Lang to turn around swiftly, his face fixed in a glare.

"Xiao Lang," started Sakura softly, the glare he gave her frightening her slightly, "I…I knew Wing Kuen had… Xiao Lang, I'm so sorry…"

Something inside Xiao Lang snapped and all reason disappeared. "You knew Wing Kuen had died?" he demanded in a cold fury, standing up slowly and facing her. Sakura stepped back, completely speechless. Xiao Lang had _never_ used that tone of voice to her before. "Then how come you never told me?" he asked in the same tone. "Why didn't you say anything until now?!"

"I…tried to…" stammered Sakura softly, "so many times, I-"

"I don't ever want to see you ever again!" Still glowering, Xiao Lang turned on his heels and stormed out of the room. Sakura collapsed into the chair Xiao Lang had sat in just earlier, tears springing to her eyes. How had this happened? Why?

"It's all my fault…" she whispered, "the reason I keep losing people…it's because of me…"

"Sakura," said Mei Ling, placing her hands reassuringly on the Princess' shoulders, "Xiao Lang didn't mean what he said. He's just upset about Wing Kuen - we all are - but sometimes he can be unreasonable. It's not your fault. Don't blame yourself. Ever." Di Xuan didn't say a word but slipped out of the room to follow Xiao Lang. Someone had to calm the Prince down and Di Xuan knew he could do it.

  
Author's Note: Um… o_O I'd definitely have to say this is the weirdest chapter of all. I have _no_ idea what I was thinking when I wrote this. *sighs* Was it really that bad? *total silence follows question* Hello? Anyone there? -_- So it _was_ that bad, huh? If you're still here, please review in that little box below this message (if you're reading this from FanFiction.Net). It would really help me in keeping my motivated to write the next chapter (I pretty much know what's going to happen). I noticed each chapter has been getting less and less reviews…I hadn't realized it was that horrible…

*Sakura   
~The Animé Archives Team


	8. Forgiven

**The Guiding Star**

Forgiven: Chapter Eight

By: Sakura

  
"Sakura…"

Xiao Lang raked his hand through his short brown hair. Sometimes he acted in such an unreasonable manner…it was frustrating! Di Xuan had given him a scolding Xiao Lang wouldn't forget easily. The annoying thing was that his cousin was right. As he leaned against the balcony banister, he propped his head up with his hands and looked up at the night sky. The moon was hidden behind dark clouds that night and the stars seemed to have disappeared. He suddenly felt very lonely.

"Why aren't you ever here when I need you, Wing Kuen?" he murmured sadly to himself. When Xiao Lang was younger, he could always depend on Wing Kuen for guidance. No matter how down he felt, how miserable he was, Wing Kuen would suddenly pop in with a joke, reassure him that everything would be all right, and life would go on as usual. Xiao Lang never completely understood all of his brother's jokes, but just having Wing Kuen there made him smile. But now…Xiao Lang shut his eyelids tight. He would not cry…that would be like displaying a weakness. But it hurt…it hurt so much…

Four days ago, Xiao Lang had felt something was wrong. His heart felt a certain emptiness he didn't understand. It was like something was missing, or just gone…Then, Xiao Lang had presumed he was just worried about how to escape from the palace and how to help Sakura…but that was just part of the reason. The piece of him that went missing…it died when Wing Kuen died.

"Xiao Lang?" The Chinese Prince opened his eyelids and looked back to his room. A hand pushed away the curtain and Mei Ling appeared. "Are you feeling better?" Xiao Lang nodded silently and Mei Ling joined him on the balcony, overlooking one of the many gardens in her home grounds. They shared the silence together, not comfortably, but understandingly, listening to the breezy wind as it rustled the leaves on the tall trees. Each knew how the other felt and both felt torn about Wing Kuen's death.

"You know, Xiao Lang," said Mei Ling finally, breaking the silence, "Wing Kuen…he was the best brother anyone could have…the best friend… Xiao Lang, it hurts you; I know it does. I feel it, too…" Tears gathered in her eyes the more she thought about him. Xiao Lang watched her intently, waiting to hear the rest of what she had to say. "But still," she continued, wiping away the tears before they fell, "he didn't sacrifice himself for nothing. He did it for you; for all of us. If he were here, he would tell you to stop feeling sorry for him…that he wasn't about to die for nothing. He would also tell you not to break your promise…our promise…the one that all of us made when we were really little." Smiling crookedly through her tears, Mei Ling added with forced cheerfulness, "and I won't let you break your promise either."

The Chinese Prince didn't answer his cousin right away. Instead, he was letting her words sink in. She was right. He knew Wing Kuen wouldn't want him to feel sorry for him. Wing Kuen would've upbraided him harshly for acting so unreasonably, especially to someone who only meant to help him, like Sakura… "Mei Ling," he said quietly, turning to face her after a long pause, "your smile looks just like Wing Kuen's." He embraced her and she hugged him back. "Thank you," he whispered.

~*~*~*~*~*~

With a little sigh, Sakura changed into her sleeping robes and sat down on the bedside, her eyes red from crying. As hard as she tried, she could not forget Xiao Lang's expression when he yelled at her. "I don't ever want to see you again!" That scene replayed over and over in Sakura's mind as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Where am I going to go now?" she wondered sorrowfully. There was no way she could stay here…not anymore…For a brief moment, she thought of returning to Japan…but there was nothing to return to…Her tears fell faster, as she buried her head into her pillow. Suddenly, there was a knock on her door. It was soft-sounding, almost hesitant. And then, the person ceased knocking and opened the doors. Xiao Lang stepped into the room; his face had lost the angered expression held earlier, his eyes showing remorse. Sakura immediately stood up and bowed slightly to him, the way Tomoyo had taught her weeks ago. "Hello, Prince Li," she said, rather dully, her eyes focused on the ground. She then turned and sat back down on her bed. Xiao Lang flinched slightly at her tone. Her voice had lost the warmth he always heard…and loved…and it was his fault.

"Sakura," he began uncertainly, "about earlier…" Watching Sakura closely, he noticed she never once moved her gaze from the ground. This was going to be harder than he thought. He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry." Abruptly, Sakura tore her eyes from the ground and looked at the Chinese Prince with surprise.

"Prince Li, what do you have to be sorry about?" she asked. "It wasn't your fault at all. If I had only said something sooner, then…" As if remembering, Sakura moved her gaze back to the ground. "Don't you hate me?" she asked softly, afraid of the answer. Xiao Lang stood by Sakura and placed his finger under her chin, lightly holding up her head and changing her gaze to him. Sakura's eyes contained a swirl of confusion, hurt, and sorrow.

"Sakura," said Xiao Lang softly, "I don't hate you; I never have. It was unreasonable of me to get angry with you. It wasn't your fault, not at all. I'm sorry for saying I never wanted to see you again. I - I didn't mean to say that. It's just I was-" He released his grip and dropped his hand. "Do you forgive me?"

Sakura nodded slowly. "But there's nothing to forgive," she said with a half-smile. Xiao Lang sat down beside her, much to Sakura's surprise.

"I was wondering, Sakura, how did you already know Wing Kuen had been…" he said, trailing off. He acknowledged that his brother was dead, but it still hurt to mention it. Sakura smiled sadly while she spoke.

"I met him the day after you were taken away," she answered. "At first, I thought he _was_ you…you both look so similar. He…promised me that he would help me escape…with you. I don't know why, but I believed him. But later on, a messenger came and told me you had been executed. I couldn't believe it. I thought Wing Kuen had lied to me or broken his promise, but the next thing I knew, there you were, with Tomoyo. When you told me you switched places with Wing Kuen, I realized _he_ was the one that…" Sakura blinked away tears and looked at Xiao Lang. "I'm sorry…" No answer came from Xiao Lang. He sat completely still in a stony silence - or so it seemed. His hands were clenched tightly, resting on his lap. Sakura wondered if the Prince was mad at her again and looked down.

All of a sudden, Xiao Lang pulled Sakura to him and rested his head on her shoulder. Then, and only then, did he allow the tears to fall. Tears for his brother, his companion, his…_friend_. He couldn't forget - would never forget - the one person he had cared for most in the world. He had lost him…forever. He was not coming back. Sakura said nothing but allowed him to shed his tears silently, his arms wrapped around her tightly, holding her close to him. He was shaking slightly and Sakura lightly stroked his back in a comforting gesture.

"I don't want to lose you, too," he whispered into her ear quietly.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Spying, again, Mei Ling?" accused Di Xuan.

"What?" objected a surprised Mei Ling in a fierce whisper, as she backed away from the door. She placed a finger on her lips. "Shh!" She led her brother away from Sakura's room and both walked on the outdoor pathway leading to their rooms. She smiled at him. "Xiao Lang has apologized to Sakura," she told her brother. Di Xuan nodded.

"That's good," he said. "He seems rather attached to her, don't you think?"

"I noticed that, too," agreed Mei Ling immediately. "I wonder how this was brought about…"

"Mei Ling! Di Xuan!"

Both siblings paused in their walk and turned around, only to see Fu Shan heading quickly toward them, an expression of worry on his face. "Is something wrong, Fu Shan?" asked Mei Ling as soon as he had caught up with them. Fu Shan nodded.

"There's a messenger here from the palace," he said. He turned to Di Xuan. "Shui Ken wants to come here and the messenger had to see if you were here. He wanted to talk to you about the Li Elders."

"Li Elders?" repeated Di Xuan, not at all surprised. "I bet he wants to know where they're located…"

"How come?" asked Mei Ling.

"He probably assumed Xiao Lang would go see them," replied Di Xuan, "and since he has no idea where they are, he wants to see someone that knows." Di Xuan grimaced. "Does this mean we have to show him hospitality while he's here?" he grumbled inwardly.

"Then we better send Xiao Lang and Sakura on their way immediately," said Mei Ling. Di Xuan nodded and the siblings turned quickly on their heels to head back toward Sakura's room while Fu Shan went to stall the messenger about Di Xuan's whereabouts.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Xiao Lang stifled a yawn and looked down at Sakura. The Japanese Princess was fast asleep, leaning against his shoulder. He smiled as he watched her. Then, dropping the smile, an expression of seriousness replaced it, and he turned his attention back to watching the road, his grip tightening on the reins.

Once again, Xiao Lang and Sakura were travelling by horse. Not long before, Mei Ling had hurried into Sakura's room. Xiao Lang turned crimson when he remembered being found in the Japanese Princess' arms by his cousin. He had half-expected Mei Ling to say something about it, but she immediately told them of Fu Shan's news. Not wasting a second, she sent them on their way, their belongings and packs all ready for flight. Xiao Lang felt bad for Sakura, whom barely had time to rest between flights. But unless they wanted to be taken back to the palace, they had no choice. Now, they were well on their way to see the Li Elders.

As they swiftly crossed mountain terrains and grasslands, Xiao Lang couldn't help but feel worried. There were so many people involved in this situation…too many people. Wing Kuen had gotten involved and he had paid the ultimate price. Mei Ling and Di Xuan…his cousins…they had aided a fugitive and if discovered, could be either imprisoned or killed. Even Sakura's handmaiden, Tomoyo, had a hand in their escape. And Sakura…how did she get involved in all of this? Why did he always feel he had to protect her? She had been taken from her home, probably the only home she knew, and placed in a completely different world…only to be used as a concubine…his brother's concubine…If Shui Ken hadn't destroyed Japan…

"But," Xiao Lang reminded himself, "if it weren't for Shui Ken, I would never have met Sakura…" He smiled wryly to himself. His brother did something good for him…for once…

Suddenly, the sound of flowing waters attracted Xiao Lang's attention. Dismounting the horse, he led it through the grasslands and out into a clearing. The grassy meadow sloped downward, in a steep hill, to meet the waters of the little river before them. Xiao Lang tied the horse's reins to a tree branch and gently lifted the still-sleeping Princess from the horse and placed her on the ground, against the tree trunk. He watched her silently, drinking in her every feature with his eyes alone. She seemed to be at peace when she slept, the ends of her mouth curved up in a tiny smile as if she was having a pleasant dream…who knew how long pleasantries like this would last for her…He sighed warily and sat down beside her, leaning his head against the trunk as well.

The dark clouds from earlier seemed to have disappeared and the stars lay mapped out before him on a clear blackish-blue sky. It reminded the Chinese Prince of a night long ago…

~*Flashback*~

"I don't want to go home," shouted Xiao Lang stubbornly, banging his little fists on the table. Wing Kuen was beside him, trying to calm down his little brother. Even at nine, Wing Kuen never failed to help his brother and friends. Mei Ling hugged Xiao Lang tightly, tears in her eyes.

"You're not going away again," she said resolutely, wiping her tears away with the sleeve of her arm. "Di Xuan and I don't have as much fun without you and Wing Kuen with us." In turn, she clutched her other cousin's hand in her tight grasp. For a girl, Mei Ling was very strong. Di Xuan sat beside his sister and two cousins quietly, not saying a word. For the entire eight years he had lived, Di Xuan was always very quiet and reserved, as opposed to his outgoing twin. Yet, he still felt the same emotions as keenly as Mei Ling. He did not want his cousins to go back to their home. He wanted them to stay - longer than a month - even if they _did_ belong in the palace and he and his sister didn't.

"We'll be back soon," said Wing Kuen soothingly. "We always come back to visit, remember?" Mei Ling nodded her head sadly.

"But then you leave us again…" she said softly this time. "Why can't you stay with us forever?"

"No one can stay here forever," murmured Wing Kuen seriously, a far-away look in his eyes. He had far greater wisdom than a normal boy of nine should have. "I'll tell you what," he added a little more cheerfully, "let's make a promise. No matter what happens, we'll always be together. We'll help each other out and be there for everyone. And if any of us goes before another-"

"-we'll live on knowing they passed away for a reason," cut in Xiao Lang suddenly, "and that there are always others we need to live for." Silence followed as Wing Kuen nodded, rather solemnly. All three children knew the weight on Xiao Lang's shoulders…his mother, Li Yelan, had passed away a few months before and he had been inconsolable at first. But gradually, his cousins and brother helped him realize that, as hard as it was, life could go on…there were always other people to live for…and his mother wouldn't want him to be sad his whole life…

"So it's a promise?" asked Xiao Lang holding out his hand to them. Wing Kuen, Mei Ling, and Di Xuan reached for Xiao Lang's hand and all locked their hands with each other.

"Promise!" they all shouted, knowing deep in their hearts they would - _could_ - not break it.

~*End Flashback*~

"Wing Kuen, I'll never break my promise," whispered Xiao Lang under his breath. "Mei Ling and Di Xuan won't let me." A little smile came to his lips as he thought about his cousins. He then looked down at Sakura's lithe sleeping form and gently tucked a stray hair hanging over her sweet angelic face behind her ear. "Besides," he added quietly, "there still are others I need to live for."

All of a sudden, Xiao Lang heard a rustle in the leaves and branches above him that startled him out of his thoughts…but there was no wind at all. It could only mean…there was something - or someone up there! Without a second thought, he half-jumped, half-glided up into the tree, landing on a sturdy branch. He hadn't been mistaken…there _was_ a person in the tree; although it was too dark to see his face and the branches and leaves shaded him as well. The figure unsheathed his sword and swung at Xiao Lang, who jumped up to avoid the slash. But before the Chinese Prince could regain his balance, the other figure dealt him a harsh cuff to his face and Xiao Lang fell to the ground, landing hard.

As Xiao Lang shook his head, trying to clear his senses, and cursed himself for being so careless, he found himself staring at the blade of the double edged sword, pointed straight at his neck. It was aimed to kill.

  
Author's Note: Oh, my…cliffhanger…and I didn't mean to have that, honestly! -_- It just sort of…happened (the chapter was longer than it was meant to be)…This story has taken an odd turn from my original plan…I haven't decided if it's a good thing or a bad thing yet…Anyway, I've begun work on chapter nine.

You know that scene between Xiao Lang and Mei Ling in the beginning? No, it's not what you might have thought. Their promise had nothing to do with marriage (obviously…you have to have read the flashback before you got to the author's note, ne?). They both treat each other as a close brother and sister would. I sometimes don't understand why some people like to bash Mei Ling in their fics. She has great character and a nice personality. She's one of my fave CCS characters when it comes down to it (then again, I love _everyone_).

Also, that motion at the end by Xiao Lang, the "half-jump, half-glide" thing…*sweatdrops* I didn't know how else to describe it! I was sort of referring to those Chinese kung fu movies/series where the characters are kind of…how should I say this…flying? In a way…I think they did that in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"…don't really remember though. I saw that movie on Christmas Day (the last movie I ever watched -_-…in theatres, anyway) and my memory's kind of fuzzy.

Sorry it took so long for me to get this chapter out. And if you're reading "The New Cards", I am equally as sorry for the time I'm taking. I just can't get around the writer's block for that story! Plus, I haven't been in a writing mood for a long time…that is the reason for the delay for both fics.

Thanks to all the reviewers for all your comments for the last chapter! (And special thanks to Namida, the one who got me so into Fushigi Yuugi ^_~. Knowing you're reading this makes me even more worried about whether or not I'm doing a good job with this fic. *sweatdrops* Err…-> end pointless blab.)

*Sakura   
~The Animé Archives Team


	9. An Old Rival

**The Guiding Star**

An Old Rival: Chapter Nine

By: Sakura

  
"You're getting weak, Xiao Lang," commented the figure before him.

Xiao Lang looked up in surprise as the figure sheathed his sword. "Yu Hong?" he asked. The figure smirked.

"And here I thought you forgot all about me," said Yu Hong with mock sadness. The older boy stared down at the Chinese prince, almost condescendingly. "Like I said earlier, Xiao Lang, you're getting weak. You've let your guard down far too much. You'd expect a fugitive to watch his back a little more, but you're as careless as usual. And to think, you're considered to be one of the most skilful magicians in the entire Li Clan." The two men glared at each other, neither making a move. "It's sad, really," added Yu Hong with a slight sneer.

Xiao Lang stood up, dusting his robes and pointedly ignoring Yu Hong as he walked over to Sakura's side. Yu Hong joined him momentarily and studied the sleeping girl. "So, _this_ is Kinomoto Sakura," he breathed in an oddly quiet tone. He reached a hand toward her face, but pulled back, as if changing his mind. His heart suddenly hardened as another thought washed over him. "Looks like you never change, Xiao Lang," he said looking away, bitterness in his voice. "First you steal Wing Kay from me. Then you steal this princess from Shui Ken." Yu Hong turned back to face him, his eyes full of anger and accusation. "You always have to take something that belongs to someone else! Just because you're a prince, you think you can have whatever you want!"

At the mention of the former girl's name, Xiao Lang's mouth had dropped, but had shut tight again when Yu Hong mentioned Sakura. "I did not 'steal' Sakura!" he shouted hotly, a sudden blush creeping onto his cheeks.

"You shouldn't be so loud, idiot," he stated in a low tone. "If there were soldiers in this area, they would have found you by now." Yu Hong narrowed his eyes, took a step forward, and stared hard at Xiao Lang. Xiao Lang stood his ground, unflinchingly. "And just why are you blushing?" Xiao Lang's eyes widened when he realized his face had taken a rather unnatural shade of red and quickly wiped the blush away, muttering something incoherent under his breath. Yu Hong didn't hear him but knew it was probably the opposite of politeness.

"Also, I did not 'steal' Wing Kay from you," added Xiao Lang afterward. Yu Hong was about to retort but Xiao Lang held up his hand and stopped him. "Forget that already. She's gone, anyway, and she's never returning." Yu Hong didn't reply to that. It was a topic they both tried to avoid as much as possible. Thinking about it hurt sometimes… "What are you doing here?" asked the Chinese Prince finally, after a few minutes of silence.

"The Elders wanted me to get you," he answered in a serious tone, choking back his previous anger. "I can't ever understand why they want to see you so much," he muttered, with a careless laugh. "One would have thought you were special or something to that extent. Well?" Yu Hong took a sidelong glance at Xiao Lang and found him to be deep in thought. Yu Hong always liked to provoke Xiao Lang and make him angry, because it showed everyone that the Prince wasn't as perfect as he seemed. "So, the great Prince Xiao Lang is too stuck up to even answer little ole Yu Hong, huh? I expected as much."

Xiao Lang turned and glared fiercely at Yu Hong. "Shut up," he said quietly. His expression instantly changed to indifference again. "Then let's go," he added, in a cold voice. He gathered Sakura into his arms and left the riverside, Yu Hong following, with a bitter, but rather satisfied smile on his face, thinking of how someday he would show everyone how far from perfect this Prince really was.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"We forbid it."

"But… Can't you see? I couldn't just leave her there!" argued Xiao Lang from his seat with frustration.

The lead Li Elder, Jian Wei, stood up and stared down at the younger Li in a condescending manner. He was a rather intimidating figure. Though getting on in years, he was tall with broad shoulders, and brown eyes that seemed to pierce through one's very soul. His dark brown hair was braided like everyone other male's, except for Xiao Lang, whose hair wasn't long enough any longer for that. "You do realize you have absolutely no say in this matter, Xiao Lang," he answered coolly. "Kinomoto will be sent back to Li Shui Ken immediately. This topic is closed." Jian Wei turned around and started to leave, but he paused and turned back to Xiao Lang. "You are to start your journey immediately, for your foolishness with this girl has made you lose much time. Yu Hong will accompany Kinomoto back to the palace. She is no longer of your concern." The Li Elder turned away again and left the room.

"No," thought Xiao Lang, almost despairingly, "she just _can't_ go back to Shui Ken. There has to be some way… If only there was something - some reason - that would let her stay with-" Something bright caught his eye at that moment… A necklace of coins sat on a side table. The coins were round with a square whole in the center, with words written around it. Then it came back to him. Sakura possessed a pendant; a small gold star encircled in pink. The Star pendant had been essential for his mission. Xiao Lang leapt to his feet and hurried after the Li Elder. He ran down the hallway until he reached its end.

Jian Wei had been sorting through old parchments from his desk when someone burst into the room. The Li Elder turned around angrily and glared at the intruder. No one was allowed to enter his room without his consent. Finding Xiao Lang again, his face contorted with anger. "If this is about the Japanese girl again… I've already told you, this subject is closed and-"

"But, Elder Jian Wei," interrupted Xiao Lang quietly, "Kinomoto Sakura possesses the Star pendant. Surely that is reason enough for her to stay with me."

The Li Elder reeled back with surprise and dropped the scroll he had been reading. "You cannot mean…" Xiao Lang nodded silently. Jian Wei quickly processed the new facts through his mind. Xiao Lang _could_ be making it up…just so she could stay with him… On the other hand, she really could have it…but if she didn't have the proper magic to wield it, she would still be useless. "Let us see her," he finally told Xiao Lang, "and then we'll decide."

~*~*~*~*~*~

With eyelids fluttering open, Sakura awoke, only to find herself lying in a bed. She couldn't understand how she had gotten there. The last thing she remembered was falling asleep against Xiao Lang's shoulder while they had been travelling, in a hurry to get away from his cousins' home. Sitting up and stretching with a yawn, she peered through the drapes and took in her new surroundings with a glance. She was definitely not back at the palace. Although she was in a small room, Sakura could see that the place was void of any decorations. It was a plain four-walled room with a bed on one wall, a small table on the adjoining wall, and doors on the wall opposite of the table. Even the drapes for the bed were a plain blue colour. The fourth wall was devoid of anything except for a small window, which someone had left open, letting the moonlight stream into the room. If it weren't for that window and a little candle alight on the table, the room would have been pitch-black.

"Finally awake?" came a voice from behind the wall of the head at the bed. Sakura suddenly froze and released her hold on the drapes at once. She hadn't realized there was someone else in the room. As she heard footsteps approaching, Sakura slowly moved backward until she hit the wall, and stayed close to it. The steps were walking around to the side of the bed. When the steps stopped, she could see the shadow of a figure through the drapes and watched rather fearfully as the figure pulled the drapes open and held them with one hand. Although the light coming from the window illuminated the figure, Sakura could see immediately that it was a man, but this didn't make her feel the least bit better. The unknown person tied back the drapes to both sides of the bed and sat down. Sakura stared at him soundlessly. This man was rather handsome with dark grey eyes and his long forest green hair braided simply. The aura surrounding him seemed to be one that held immense power…and power that still had yet to surface.

Finally finding her voice, Sakura asked him, in a rather timid voice, "Who are you?"

The grey-eyed man watched her for a moment without saying anything. Suddenly, he stood up and flashed her a grin. Bowing slightly, he said, "My name is Li Yu Hong. You're Kinomoto Sakura?" It was more of a statement than a question. Sakura nodded wordlessly. "It is my given task to accompany you back to the palace."

"Back to the palace…" repeated Sakura blankly. "You can't mean…back to Prince Li…?"

Yu Hong nodded. "You are his concubine after all. Xiao Lang had no right to kidnap you like that. He's caused everyone so much trouble and-"

"I am…I am no such thing!" she interrupted vehemently. Yu Hong fell silent at her sudden outburst. "And Xiao Lang didn't kidnap me," she added, a little more quietly. "He saved me, really…"

Anger suddenly flashed in Yu Hong's dark eyes. He reached out and held her shoulders in his tight grip, pulling her to her feet. Sakura tried to struggle out of it, but he was far stronger than she was. "Don't you dare think of Xiao Lang as your saviour," he hissed into her ear. "That…_boy_…has used other girls like you… They were just as innocent as you - just as stupid - thinking he could help them. He doesn't care for you; only himself!" He released her and Sakura fell back onto the bed. Listening to him walk across the room, Sakura wondered if she imagined the bitterness etched all over his face, and the way he shook when he spoke about Xiao Lang. There was such hatred in his tone. But were his words true? Was Xiao Lang really that sort of person?

Yu Hong had reached the window and was about to pull it shut when something stopped it from moving. He was roughly pushed aside as another figure slipped in and closed the window behind him. The only light in the room was the candle.

"You should watch what you say about me, Yu Hong," said Xiao Lang coldly.

Dusting himself off, Yu Hong glared at the Chinese Prince. "It's not like what I said isn't true," he sneered.

Completely ignoring him, Xiao Lang walked the length of the room until he reached Sakura's bedside. "How are you feeling?" he asked her softly, in a tone quite different from what he used for Yu Hong. "Better?" Sakura nodded slowly. "Are you…" Xiao Lang suddenly hesitated, as he tried to find the right words. "Do you think you can come with me now…to see the Council?" A look of surprised sprang to Sakura's expression, but she nodded all the same. Xiao Lang helped her up from the bed and while she slipped on her shoes, Sakura chanced a glance at Yu Hong. He was still glaring at Xiao Lang, a rather sour expression on his face.

Xiao Lang led her out of the room and down the hallway silently. As Sakura watched him out of the corner of her eye, she noticed he had a rather strained expression on his face. "Is it true?" she asked quietly, breaking the silence. When Xiao Lang turned to her questioningly, she continued. "Is it true I have to be sent back to Prince Shui Ken?" Xiao Lang look startled at the question, but he didn't answer. Instead, he chose to look away. "I see…so that's how it is…" Sakura stopped walking at that point. Noticing she had stopped, Xiao Lang turned back and rejoined her.

"Look," he said softly, placing his hands on her shoulders lightly, but Sakura refused to face him, "I don't want you to be sent back to him. I'd rather die before he can get his hands on you. But I can't argue with the Council. They're going to decide what will happen; whether you stay with me or be sent back. But," he added, taking hold of Sakura's chin and gently lifting her head to face him, until their eyes locked together, "I promise I'll do everything I can to make sure you don't return to him." Sakura's bright emerald eyes stared into Xiao Lang's searchingly, trying to find hope…to believe what he said.

Suddenly, someone behind Xiao Lang cleared their throat loudly and the pair broke apart. "Elder Chung Nan," said Xiao Lang, bowing quickly. When the Li Elder looked past Xiao Lang, his eyes settled on Sakura, and he raised an eyebrow. Sakura, remembering her manners, followed suit and bowed to the Elder. "Well," said Chung Nan, rather stiffly, "if you're finished whatever you are doing, the Li Elders are ready to see you." He turned, led the way down the hall and into a small, darkly lit room, with Xiao Lang and Sakura following meekly behind. The Elder immediately shut the doors behind him.

The room they had now stepped into was only slightly larger than the room Sakura had previously occupied. Before them was a circle of eight tables. At each table was seated one man. In the center of the room, with a slightly higher table and chair, sat Li Jian Wei. To his right were Li Ying Yu, Li Sik Kan, and Li Shun Shui. To his left were Li Chung Nan, Li Lok Man, Li Tik Yuen, and Li Shuk Yue. These eight men made up the Council of the Li Magicians, and they were some of the most powerful in the entire Li clan. The last man was Xiao Lang's half-brother, and the second son of the former Emperor of China. As well, he was the youngest in the council. However, of this eight, three of them were older and much more experienced. They were looked up to, as well, and were considered wise in their years. These were the three Elders and the decisions they made were always final. They were Li Ying Yu, Li Chung Nan, and, of course, Li Jian Wei.

"Step forward," commanded Jian Wei in a stern tone. Xiao Lang and Sakura immediately stepped to the center of the room. Sakura blinked as of a sudden spotlight had been placed on her, when she realized she felt a strange draft. Looking up, she saw that she not exactly in a room, but almost outdoors. In the center, where the roof should have been, there was an open ceiling, open to the night sky above. The moonlight flooded in through this gap and was the only source of light there.

"Kinomoto Sakura," spoke Jian Wei quietly, yet instantly drawing her attention, "it has been mentioned to us that you possess a certain gold star pendant, also known as 'the guiding star'. May we please see it?" His last sentence was more of a command than a request, but Sakura hadn't moved once since he had spoken. Guiding star? What was that supposed to mean? Her hand moved to clutch the tiny star nestled on her throat, underneath her robes. This star pendant…it was given to her by her father before he died… It was merely something that had belonged to her family for generations…right? But when she thought about it, Sakura had no idea where her father had gotten this pendant.

Seeing a look of impatience cross the lead Elder's face, Sakura unclasped the necklace, approached the high table where he sat, and placed the star on his table. Jian Wei picked up the tiny pendant with interest and studied it thoroughly before placing it down on his desk again. He sat back thoughtfully in his chair for a moment as all pairs of eyes turned to him to hear his comment.

"You were right, Xiao Lang," Jian Wei said finally, giving her the pendant back. "But," he added abruptly, when he saw the look of relief on Xiao Lang's face, "it does _not_ mean that she is capable of using it to its full extent. To her, this pendant could simply be a pretty little piece of jewellery that she likes to wear."

Sakura stared at the Elder, forgetting it wasn't showing good mannerisms, but she couldn't help it. It meant she was going back to Shui Ken, didn't it? She flinched slightly at the thought of him. She just couldn't think of someone she hated more…

"However," added the Li Elder again, seeing the look of horror on Sakura's face, "we can test her to see if she can wield the powers of the star. After all, it is her possession and it would be rude to simply take it from her." Jian Wei gave Sakura a slight smile, showing he was still capable of that sort of expression. "How does that sound to you?"

Before Sakura could answer, Xiao Lang took a step forward and flung a protective arm before her. "Hold on a moment. What do you mean by 'test' her?" he asked, glaring at the Elder. "What do you plan to do to her? If you hurt her…" Sakura looked up at Xiao Lang with surprise.

Jian Wei raised an eyebrow. "Rather keen in her safety, aren't you?" he asked softly. "We would never give her a task she would be unable to accomplish. The task I have in mind would only test to see if she is capable of using the star pendant in her possession."

Xiao Lang's gaze hardened. "I've been through many of your tasks, Elder Jian Wei," he said steadily, "and some of them I had barely been able to make it through with my life. How would I know Sakura wouldn't be put through the same thing?"

"Because Elder Jian Wei gave you his word." Xiao Lang turned around and faced the person who had spoken out. It was Shuk Yue. "If Elder Jian Wei says he won't give her a task she wouldn't be able to accomplish, then he will do just that. There's no need to doubt his word, Prince Li." By the look in Xiao Lang's face, it was obvious he wasn't any less reluctant about the entire manner.

"I accept and will do any task you wish to bestow on me." Xiao Lang wheeled around in shock as he watched Sakura bow to the Elder.

"Sakura…you can't possibly mean it…"

"Then we shall proceed, Princess Kinomoto," said Jian Wei as he stood up. "We give you our word that if we find you acceptable, you may accompany Prince Li on his journey. However, if you aren't viewed as acceptable, you will be sent back immediately to the palace, where, in technical terms, you now belong." Sakura nodded her consent. But Xiao Lang was beside himself.

"Sakura," he said, trying again. "You-"

"Prince Li," interrupted Sakura, addressing Xiao Lang formally, "you're the one who told me that the Council will decide whether I can stay or be sent back. I have to do this… But I promise you that I won't fail."

"Sakura…"

The other two Elders, Chung Nan and Ying Yu, rose from their seats as well. "If you'll just follow us, Princess Kinomoto," Ying Yu told her, not unkindly. Sakura nodded and followed them out of the room. She didn't look back.

Xiao Lang watched her go, an expression of anger and sadness on his face. Through the entire time he had known her, Xiao Lang had never felt an inkling of magic within her. Either it was hidden deep down inside of her or she had none whatsoever. Either way, he wished her the best in her task.

  
Author's Note: Gomen nasai! I realize it has been a long time since I updated this fic. The reason being because I had writer's block _and_ I had no time! =( As well, exams are now looming ahead once again. *sighs* There was supposed to be a different event that occurs in this chapter, but it got pushed back into the next chapter.

So, is Sakura going to stay with Xiao Lang or be sent back to Shui Ken? *shrugs* I don't even know yet. ^_~ Would you like to decide again? Let me know soon, before I start the next chapter!

Bitter rivalry between Xiao Lang and Yu Hong, ne? As you can see, they obviously despise each other a great deal. And just who is "Wing Kay"? Don't worry, you'll all find out in due time. ^_~ But this chapter does raise quite a few questions, notice? =)

Do you all hate this fic or something? It's been a very long time since I had any feedback regarding this… Or have I just taken too long to update? *sweatdrops* Just tell me what you think about this…

*Sakura   
~The Animé Archives Team


	10. Light in the Dark

**The Guiding Star**

Light in the Dark: Chapter Ten

By: Sakura

  
"Prince Li arrives!"

Although he hated to do it, Di Xuan knew he had no choice. He went down on both knees - he and everyone else in the room - and bowed to the Prince as he entered, chanting for him to have a long life. He didn't mind doing it so much if it was Xiao Lang or almost any of his other cousins, but he despised Shui Ken greatly and knew Shui Ken felt the exact same way about him.

As soon as the Prince sat down by a table, Di Xuan instantly scrambled to his feet, but still maintaining his dignity. "And what do we owe to this honour, Prince Li?" he asked, in a rather stiff voice.

Shui Ken had been surveying his surroundings with apparent disgust and didn't answer him immediately. The Prince was much more used to elaborate decorations and cared nothing for the simplistic way Di Xuan and Mei Ling made their home.

"Can't one cousin visit another from time to time?" he asked in a disarming tone, a smile on his face. "Surely there is nothing wrong with that."

Di Xuan tried to force a smile onto his face, but it looked more like a grimace. "Of course," he answered, still with the tight smile. "But you've never paid me a visit like this in your entire life."

"It is only because I am a great person with many other responsibilities," replied Shui Ken with a careless wave of his hand. Suddenly, his smile left his face and his expression became very serious. "There's no point in beating around the bush, is there? You know _exactly_ why I'm here, Di Xuan." Di Xuan made no answer and Shui Ken continued. "I wanted to know if you have seen my treasonous half-brother. You must know of his flight by now…not to mention the fact that he stole one of my concubines."

A tiny smile flitted across Di Xuan's lips. "If you can't keep track of your own concubines and lose them, Prince Li, then I don't know how you expect me to-"

"I did _not_ lose her!" thundered Shui Ken, leaping to his feet, his face was distorted with obvious anger. The guards and servants in the room flinched and each took a shaky step back. Di Xuan alone, however, stood his ground, and he gazed calmly at his cousin.

"If you're implying that I'm hiding Li Xiao Lang and your concubine here," said Di Xuan coolly, "you're greatly mistaken. I would never do anything against your law."

"_My_ law?" thought Shui Ken silently as he glared at Di Xuan. "You very well mean our country's laws…but do you also mean there are other laws you follow…?" Slowly sitting down and trying to contain his anger, Shui Ken's eyes never left Di Xuan's face. "The only thing I'm interested to know," he said quietly, "is the location of the Li's you serve under. I know very well that you're a magician," Shui Ken nearly spat out the word, as if it were something repulsive, "just like Xiao Lang. I'm almost positive he fled there to find protection under them."

"As you wish, Prince Li," responded Di Xuan, still with a cold tone, "After all, how can I object your requests? I can draw you a map to the place." Shui Ken smiled and motioned for a servant to bring him a parchment and a brush. He watched closely as Di Xuan quickly drew mountains, rivers, and plains of the area and then drew a trail that led from the palace to the Li Council's home. Putting the brush down and thrusting the map into Shui Ken's hands, Di Shang said, "That's everything, I believe. I have a lot of work to do, so if you don't mind…"

"Of course I don't," replied Shui Ken, with a smile, as he got up to leave. "I thank you for your help, cousin. When Xiao Lang is apprehended, you will be rewarded handsomely." Di Xuan nodded curtly and walked the Prince and his guards out of the room as Di Xuan's own servants and guards bowed again to Shui Ken. As Shui Ken descended the steps, he paused momentarily and turned back, facing Di Xuan. "Di Xuan, I believe you have a sister, do you not? Same age as you? I hear she is very beautiful." Di Xuan, taken by surprise at the questions, nodded blankly. Shui Ken smiled at him with his usual malicious smile. "Tell her I'll pay her a visit sometime. After all, I'd like to get to know her a little better." Di Xuan's eyes widened and his mouth fell open, but no words came. Using those as his parting words, Shui Ken continued down the stairs and disappeared from sight.

Without a word, Di Xuan turned around and stepped back into his home, slamming the doors behind him. All of a sudden, while crossing the room, he paused midway, his lips curving into a slight smile, and said, "You can come out now, Mei Ling. He's gone." Instantly, Mei Ling dropped down from the ledge on the ceiling, where she had been eavesdropping, and landed in a crouch.

"Hmph! Like I would ever want to go for a person like him," she fumed, straightening up and dusting off her tunic. Di Xuan chuckled at her indignant expression but it was soon replaced with a worried look. "Di Xuan," started Mei Ling, her face holding an identical expression of worry to her brother's, "you didn't _really_ give Shui Ken the location of the Li Elders' home did you?" Di Xuan nodded and Mei Ling gasped. "How could you?" she demanded angrily.

"Don't worry, Mei Ling," replied Di Xuan. "I gave them the most direct path there…which goes through many mountains, valleys, and it would take many _weeks_ for them to get there… Not to mention that it is very dangerous."

"But…" Mei Ling didn't look any less worried. "What about Xiao Lang? And Sakura? And… Wait a minute… Whenever you went to the Elder's and back, it only took you a fortnight at the most. And you said you gave Shui Ken the most direct path…"

Di Xuan nodded, but with a wide smile. "I gave them the 'normal' path. But for people like Xiao Lang, Wing Kuen, and I, we have an 'unknown' shortcut." Mei Ling brightened and hugged her brother.

"You're not as dumb as you look, after all, you know," she said with a smile.

"Hey…" replied Di Xuan, in a tone of mock hurt and with a slight pout. But his expression changed immediately. "Seriously, though, I only diverted Shui Ken from their trail temporarily. I hope Xiao Lang starts his journey soon and stays out of trouble."

~*~*~*~*~*~

"The task is very simple," Li Chung Nan had told her, as he presented the princess with a small, lighted torch. "All you have to do," he had said, "is find your way to the exit." Sakura had been rather confused and didn't see what was so difficult about this task. "The place you're going into," continued Chung Nan, "is an underground maze. You have to find your way within a certain amount of time. Failure to reach the exit in time will result in your being sent back to the palace."

"What if I'm still stuck in the maze after the time limit?" she had asked, beginning to feel the complexity of the task.

"Then one of us will retrieve you," answered Li Ying Yu. He took out a small thin piece of paper with writing on it. It glowed green briefly as the Li Elder pinned it to Sakura's sleeve. "As an added precaution, we will place this on you so we will know where to find you. Never take it off." Sakura nodded.

Li Jian Wei had led her to a door and opened it, saying, "Once you enter, this entrance will disappear. Your path will be easy to find if your star pendant works for you. It will only react when the person wearing it shows a sense of magical power. It will stay cold, however, when the person wearing it has nothing." Without another word following, he had gently pushed Sakura through the doors and closed them behind her. Sakura had been instantly greeted by pitch-black and when she whirled around, she could see that Li Jian Wei had told the truth; the doors had vanished. Knowing there had been nowhere to go but forward, Sakura warily walked into the maze, holding the torch close to her.

But as she travelled, Sakura had seen it was not easy…not easy at all. She clearly had no idea where she was going and wound up facing dead ends time and time again. She had no idea how much time had passed, but she was beginning to feel sure that her time would end soon.

When the Japanese Princess ran into another dead end (her twelfth), she tried hard not to crumple up and cry. There was no chance for her at all. The star pendant, nestled at the base of her neck, felt oddly cold. Usually it felt warm and comforting, the last lingering reminder of her father and her family…everyone that she knew in the past…but now it felt like ice, piercing her very last hope.

Stumbling backward, trying to return to her former place in the maze and leave the dead end behind her, Sakura tripped over a loose rock and hit the ground hard, tearing the hem of her dress, the clips falling out of her hair, and her hairpiece threatening to fall. She had tried to use her hands to break her fall but ended up scraping her palms instead. But the worst thing…the worst thing was that she had dropped her torch…her only source of light… It had hit the sandy ground and was immediately extinguished. She was alone in the darkness.

It was difficult to stop the tears from falling now. Knowing she had failed the task, knowing she would be sent back to Shui Ken, knowing she would be leaving Xiao Lang… She curled up into a little ball and let the tears fall. There was nothing left for her to do now, except to wait for the Elders to fetch her and take her out of the maze. Taking hold of her pendant, Sakura stared at it, wondering how something so small could possibly hold any power. "Keep this…to remember me…"

Her father had given her this necklace…and this star pendant… And then the tears fell harder and faster… "Otou-san," cried Sakura, letting go of her necklace and burying her head in her arms. "Onii-chan… Doshite…doshite?!" Was there nothing that could dull the pain?

But then, suddenly, even with her eyes shut tight, Sakura could see a strange light. Slowly opening her eyelids, they widened in surprise at the sight that greeted them. The once cold and motionless star pendant…it felt warm and was beginning to glow… The light was faint at first, but it grew steadily. A bright flash followed and Sakura shielded her eyes with her arm from the blinding light, and then it faded…but the star continued to glow. Lowering her arm, Sakura blinked several times to readjust to the light. But…there was someone standing before her, their back facing her. The figure was slim with broad shoulders, and short, rather messy, brown hair… He looked like…

"Xiao Lang!"

The figure slowly turned around, a twinkle in his deep maroon eyes. "You're close, Princess," he said with a smile. Sakura gasped with total shock.

"Prince Li…_Wing Kuen?!_"

~*~*~*~*~*~

Time seemed to pass so slowly for him… How was she faring? Was she okay? They wouldn't let her get hurt, right? Xiao Lang felt anxiety gnawing at his every particle. He continued to walk back and forth across the same space on the ground. The Chinese Prince had long since left the Council room. He was allowed to sit there and wait for the Elders to return to the room with Sakura, but he hated sitting there, under the gaze of all the other council members, especially his brother. He always felt uneasy under the gaze of Shuk Yue. So he had returned to a sitting room, fashioned somewhat like a parlour. Sitting still didn't help a bit so he tried walking, wanting to relieve his feelings of anxiety and concern.

"Stop pacing. It's not going to help her if you keep doing that. All you're going to do is wear a hole in the ground."

Xiao Lang paused momentarily and turned to face the door. Yu Hong was leaning against the doorway, his arms folded, watching him. Xiao Lang scowled at the older man, and muttered, "What do you want?"

Yu Hong unfolded his arms and smiled. "I just wanted to see how the great Li Xiao Lang was coping," he said, sarcasm dripping in his tone. "There's no way a weakling like her could have any magical powers. You'll be lucky if you even get a chance to see her again after this." Yu Hong finished with a smirk, pleased to see Xiao Lang slightly shaken, his hands clenched into tight fists.

"Get out," said Xiao Lang in a low voice. He was surprised when Yu Hong let out a laugh.

"Why should I?" he asked. "Have you forgotten that this is my home, as well as yours? Even if you're a Prince, you can't order me around here. You don't have that kind of power he-" It was Yu Hong's turn to be surprised when Xiao Lang hurtled toward him and swung a heavy cuff to his face. Yu Hong was stopped in mid-sentence as he was sent crashing into the wall behind him. He was given a cut lip through the Chinese Prince's effort. Xiao Lang followed him into the hallway and picked up the rather dazed Yu Hong by the collar of his robes.

"Xiao Lang!" Both Li's turned to face the source of the voice. Li Shuk Yue was standing there, an angered expression on his face. He was the one who had spoken. "I would have thought you knew better, Xiao Lang," rebuked Shuk Yue. "Yu Hong is your elder; you should show more respect." Xiao Lang released Yu Hong from his grip rather resentfully, while the latter hid a malicious smile, wiping the blood from his mouth with his sleeve. The younger Chinese Prince turned and stormed back into the room, leaving the hallway - and the two Li's - behind him.

"Some 'elder'," thought Xiao Lang, still resentful. "He's only three years older than me, like Shui Ken." He couldn't figure out who he hated more at that very moment: his half-brother, Shui Ken, or his distant relative, Yu Hong.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Sakura stared at the figure, a rather dazed expression on her face. Were her eyes deceiving her? How could Wing Kuen be standing before her? He had died, hadn't he? But…it was really him! With her eyes focused on who she thought to be Wing Kuen, Sakura hadn't noticed that her star continued to shine in the darkness.

"Aren't you happy to see an old friend?" Wing Kuen asked her, cheerfully. Stroking his chin thoughtfully, he added, "Then again, we only met once before so I guess you don't consider us as friends?"

The Japanese Princess shook her head. "No, I _do_ consider us to be friends, Prince Li," she said earnestly. "If it weren't for you, I'd still be at the palace…with Prince Shui Ken…" Her shoulders slumped forward slightly as she stared at the ground. "But all your effort was in vain. I'm going to be sent back there," she added dully, a tear sliding down the bridge of her nose.

"And why is that?" asked Wing Kuen, moving into a crouch beside her.

"Because…because I can't pass this test…" answered Sakura rather bitterly, wiping the tear away. "I'm not a magician…like Xiao Lang… They probably think I'm only a nuisance…a hindrance…"

"No, Princess," chided Wing Kuen gently, "you are far more than that. And I'm sure my brother, Xiao Lang, doesn't think of you as that at all…on the contrary, really. He doesn't want you to leave any more than you want to." Sakura looked up suddenly, into Wing Kuen's eyes. They were completely serious. Wing Kuen stood up abruptly. "Princess," he said, speaking urgently, "you're running out of time. But there are a few things you need to know. One is that sometimes our star can show us what we want to see most in our hearts… Another thing is that only you, the rightful owner of this pendant, will be able to use this star to its full potential. Only you can call out its true power. However, you can't ever let this fall into the wrong hands. Even if other people can't use it at its maximum strength, if they have magic, they can still activate it. And that is the last thing we want to happen… Do you understand this, Princess?"

Sakura nodded, but still rather doubtful of the task at hand. Wing Kuen smiled reassuringly to her, then turned to leave, and began walking away. Sakura immediately stood up and followed him. "Wait!" she cried, her hand stretching out to touch his shoulder. Her eyes widened as her hand fell right through him. She paused in step, completely shocked, staring at her hand and Wing Kuen's back. He took a step forward, out of her reach, turned, and faced her, a sombre expression on his face. "You're a…a…a ghost?" she asked in a half-frightened whisper, pulling her hand away immediately.

"Yes," answered Wing Kuen quietly, "I'm a ghost. I died the very night you and Xiao Lang escaped." He gave her a half-hearted smile. "I'm sorry. I heard you don't like ghosts."

Sakura trembled slightly. It was true. For so many years, she had a strong fear of ghosts. The mere thought of them made her skin crawl…the pale, faded figure, floating in the air…reaching out with one cold, grisly hand…she shuddered involuntarily at the thought. But, Prince Wing Kuen…he most definitely was not like that. He appeared completely solid and when her hand went through him, it felt warm. His presence comforted her, rather than scaring her, and she didn't feel as if she was alone anymore.

"I'm sorry," said Sakura, this time, bowing slightly to him. She looked up and saw the look of surprise on Wing Kuen's face. "If it weren't because of me and my selfishness, you'd still be alive right now, and…" She choked back her words, but Wing Kuen knew what she meant. "I'm glad you're here," she added. "I'm really happy to see you again."

Wing Kuen's rather tense expression dissolved and he broke into a small smile. He hadn't wanted to tell her he was a ghost earlier because he knew of her fear for them. "Don't be sorry," he told her gently. "You weren't being selfish at all. I chose the path I took freely. No one forced the decision upon me. And, even if I _could_ fix the past, I wouldn't change anything. If _my_ two choices were staying with Shui Ken or running away, _I'd_ run as fast as I could!" He laughed and gave her a roguish wink. Sakura returned the smile gratefully. They both lapsed into a comfortable silence. "I think it's time you went on, Princess," he said finally. "You must finish this or else…well, you know already." Sakura nodded in understanding.

The ghost of the former twelfth Chinese Prince looked away into the distance of the maze. "Even in the darkness, a brightness will shine through. Always remember that… A glimmer of hope will always be alight in all of our hearts…" Turning to face Sakura again, and smiling down kindly at her, Wing Kuen said softly, "Be careful. Take good care of yourself…and Xiao Lang…for me…" He vanished into thin air.

"Prince Wing Kuen…" whispered Sakura, barely audible…

It was then that Sakura noticed for the first time that another figure stood before her, several feet away from where Wing Kuen had last been. The person - at least, she thought it was a person - turned around and faced her silently. The figure was clothed entirely in black, along with a matching hood covering their face. Without uttering a single word, the figure gestured for her to follow and disappeared, hurrying away into the maze. Sakura stood rooted to the spot, unsure of what to do. The figure reappeared shortly, gesturing to her once more, almost frantically. Against her better judgment, she decided to follow and see where the person intended to lead her. She could only hope that he or she had no ill intentions in mind.

She followed the figure as fast as she could, through the twisting turns of the maze. Several times she had lost sight of the figure, but he or she always found her before she could lose her way. Other times, she stumbled and fell and, although the figure never offered her hand, they waited patiently for her to regain her step. Her shoes were highly unsuitable for moving quickly. After tripping for the fifth time, the figure seized her hand, almost exasperatingly, and half-led, half-dragged her through the narrow corridors.

Finally, they both came to a halt before a set of double doors and the figure released their grip on Sakura. She rubbed her wrist gently as the figure had been rather rough. It was then that she realized that they had reached the end. "Thank you," she said softly, though still confused. Who was this person? And why had they helped her? The hooded figure slowly turned around to face her, as if to answer her, and at the same time, moved their hand toward their black hood. Grasping it with one hand, the figure pulled it back, revealing a set of warm amber eyes and a short mess of brown hair. "Prince Xiao Lang," she said breathlessly, completely shocked at the sight of him. Xiao Lang turned to her, a soft smile on his lips. "How can it be?" she asked herself, wondering if her eyes were seeing things again.

"Sometimes our star can show us what we want to see most in our hearts…" Wing Kuen's words echoed in her mind.

"Maybe this isn't Prince Xiao Lang after all," she thought sadly, looking down at her pendant and cradling it with both hands. "Maybe he's just an illusion…something that this star has made to guide me… But what I want to see most?" she exclaimed suddenly, realizing fully the words Wing Kuen had said. "Xiao Lang…he's the one…?" Sakura abruptly broke into a deep blush at the thought. "That's preposterous! I don't love Xiao Lang. I like him, well enough… Right?" She noticed that none of her words sounded the least bit convincing to her. Perhaps it was because she wasn't trying to convince herself otherwise…

Looking over to the Chinese Prince, Sakura watched as he gave her a smile and opened his arms to her. Her cheeks still flushed crimson, but she didn't mind. This was a revelation for her…knowing she could love again after she had thought her heart had been crushed and broken…She slowly walked toward him.

A bright light suddenly filled the dark maze as the double doors were pulled open and Xiao Lang vanished. As Sakura adjusted her eyes to the new atmosphere, she could see three figures standing there, waiting for her. Li Ying Yu was beaming kindly at her, while Li Chung Nan wasn't quick enough to hide his surprise at seeing her there. The third person, Li Jian Wei, stood with an emotionless expression, neither approving nor disapproving. Sakura stepped into the room, rather uncertainly.

"Good to see you made it," said Ying Yu warmly, still smiling at her and the sight of the shining star pendant. He turned to face his fellow Elders. "I would say this mean she has passed. She can go with Xiao Lang, don't you think?" Sakura felt his kindness and it filled her with warmth from head to toe.

Chung Nan scowled, not bothering to hide it from anyone. "I don't think so," he said coldly. He pointed at the star nestled comfortably at the base of Sakura's neck. It was still glowing brightly. "She may have activated the star, but she has hardly unleashed its power. It hasn't changed its appearance one bit, as it is supposed to, according to 'legend'." At Chung Nan's words, the Japanese Princess suddenly felt horribly cool. Did this mean…? And how was the star _supposed_ to look, then?

Ying Yu glared at Chung Nan for a moment, then turned to Jian Wei. "What is your opinion on the matter?" he asked him. Jian Wei looked slowly from Ying Yu, to Chung Nan, and finally rested his gaze on Sakura. She was shaking inside, waiting for his answer, but appeared perfectly calm and composed on the outside. Jian Wei approached the Japanese Princess and locked gazes with her.

"I think you already know my answer," he said softly.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"She passed…" muttered Yu Hong, rather sulkily, as he entered the room and sat down in a far corner. Xiao Lang blinked his eyes in surprise.

"How do you know?" asked Xiao Lang suspiciously. Yu Hong shrugged his shoulders with careless grace.

"I don't care if you believe me or not," answered Yu Hong. "I was in the council room when the Elders announced it."

Xiao Lang could always see when Yu Hong told the truth or a lie and, right now, he was being truthful. The Chinese Prince could feel a wave of relief washing over him.

"She must have _some_ magic if she could make the star pendant work," thought Xiao Lang, rather impressed. "But her aura is very faint, almost as if it were non-existent. Either she has hidden it well all this time or it is merely undeveloped." Thinking of the innocence that breathed around Sakura, Xiao Lang concluded the latter was most likely. Hearing footsteps approach the room, Xiao Lang whirled around and found himself facing Sakura. Her robes were dusty, with slight rips and tears in her dress and a little smudge of dirt was on her cheek. The headpiece holding her hair up had loosened and her long hair had tumbled down gently over her shoulders and upper back in soft waves. Her face held a tired expression, but her eyes shone brightly with happiness.

The Japanese Princess stood uncertainly on the threshold, wondering whether she should enter the room or continue walking down the hallway to her room. The sight of Xiao Lang caused her cheeks to turn scarlet, her recent revelation still fresh in her mind. However, crossing the room in quick strides, the Chinese Prince took her by surprise when he enveloped her in a tight hug. "I'm glad you're all right," he said hoarsely, his grip tightening around her.

Sakura relaxed in Xiao Lang's arms. "Thank you, Prince Xiao Lang," she thought silently. "If it hadn't been for you… Everything I've done so far has been because of you…or for you… I can find my strength in you…" Sakura suddenly hugged Xiao Lang in return, startling him, but this only made him tighten his hold. Still in the far corner, Yu Hong scowled in disgust.

  
Author's Note: Er…sorry about the Japanese used… I don't know why, but those words popped into my head when I was thinking of how to write that particular scene. "Otou-san" means 'father', "Onii-chan" means 'older brother', and "doshite" is something like 'how come?; why?'. =)

*sniffs and wails miserably* I had my Japanese exam today and I messed up so badly!! I stupidly wrote the Hiragana character "ga" instead of the Hiragana character "go"…twice! I made the same, stupid mistake _twice_!! *smacks self* Watashi no baka… I forgot what telephone, fridge, soap, and hospital was in Hiragana; I tried a word for fridge, but it was completely wrong o_O. Then I wrote "dollar" wrong in Katakana…and _right_ after that, I forgot to write "desu"!! … *calms down…somewhat* Gomen ne…just needed to vent my anger. At least I know I passed…but that's hardly comforting…

It didn't take me that long to update this! Isn't that great? ^_^ However, I don't think chapter eleven will be posted as soon. For some reason, I've lost some of my motivation lately…and also, I really need to work on my other…er…*counts*…five CCS fics. o_O Oh, and my "Misunderstandings" fic needs to be updated soon, too…

One more thing before I move into individual comments. I dedicate this chapter to Hanna-chan! You're an absolute life-saver (in reference to the textbook yesterday), you know? ^_^ This is for all those fun classes we had last year, especially those moments we'd be working on our fics instead of our work! ^_~

There's individual notes to some of the comments made in the reviews below!

Author's Note to ChrisMiss: Yes, I still remember you. =) And thank you very much for telling me. If you hadn't, I would never have found out that site was stealing my site's screencaps and dozens of other things from my site and other sites on the net. But that's another story entirely, ne? ^_^

Author's Note to hannagrace: Three words: School…is…EVIL!! *sighs* Even with the same lunch period, our usual seats are so far apart that we never see each other! Ah…but there's still animé club, ne? =)

Author's Note to AKXTP22: Sorry to disappoint, but there are no cards in this story. No Clow Cards, no Sakura Cards, or even an original set of cards. However, if you really want to read a story with the cards in them, you can always check out my other fic, "The New Cards" =). (*grumbles* I wish I came up with a better title than that when I started it. -_-*)

Author's Note to sakura-li: Although I mentioned it in the second chapter, I'll say it here again. =) Sakura is currently sixteen-years-old.

Author's Note to everyone: Thank you for reviewing the last chapter and any other chapters! These reviews seem to be the only thing keeping me motivated! ^_^ I hope you liked this chapter!

*Sakura   
~The Animé Archives Team


	11. Breaking Waters

**The Guiding Star**

Breaking Waters: Chapter Eleven

By: Sakura

"The whole 'mission' is to get a bunch of moldy old rings?" thought Yu Hong scornfully. "I'm certainly glad I wasn't chosen to go." The Li magician had been sitting outside quietly, straining his ears to listen to the conversation inside between Xiao Lang, the Japanese princess, and the three Li Elders. The Elders had asked Xiao Lang to find five rings, their purpose still unknown. They had given him an old sword as well, saying only that it was related to the rings in some way, but that they did not know how yet. It was his job to figure out the mystery. "Yet, why do they need that star?" wondered Yu Hong, half muttering to himself. "Unless…the Elders probably know a little more than they're letting on…but why?" 

"Eavesdropping, Yu Hong?" 

Yu Hong had been so absorbed in his thoughts that he hadn't even heard the other person's approach. He quickly looked up and saw Li Shuk Yue watching him, a slight touch of amusement in his expression. 

"Of course not," answered Yu Hong coolly, standing up and purposely walking away. Shuk Yue followed him. Yu Hong left the gardens and walked on the pathway, leading into the woods. He didn't understand why Shuk Yue was following him. A while later, after walking through the woods, he made it to a clearing where an old well stood. It was no longer used and the area around it was overgrown with grass. The roof over the well was missing shingles and badly needed to be repaired. Yu Hong sat down on the ledge of the well and leaned against the column supporting the roof. A few feet down, the gaping hole of the well was covered with wiring, making the water unreachable, but the wired landing was still far from the opening. Shuk Yue emerged from the woods moments later. He watched Yu Hong, but said nothing. Finally, exasperation in his tone, Yu Hong broke the silence. "I give up. What do you want?" 

Shuk Yue studied the scowling figure in front of him before answering. "I've always wondered," he said amiably, "why you and Xiao Lang hated each other so. As children, you had never been like this." 

That was perhaps somewhat true. There was never any love lost between them. Even younger, both had treated the other with cold respect. Xiao Lang did this because Yu Hong was older than he was and Yu Hong did so because Xiao Lang was the son of the Emperor. But besides that, there were never any reasons for them to grow closer. In fact, there were many events in both of their lives that drove them apart. 

The first major event that had pushed them away was a girl. Who'd have thought a mere girl could cause so much damage? Xiao Lang had only been eight and Yu Hong was eleven during that time. However, Yu Hong could still remember it as if it was yesterday. 

~*Flashback*~

Xiao Lang was giving him the silent treatment again, but Yu Hong didn't care. Wing Kuen had explained to him earlier that it wasn't Yu Hong's fault; Xiao Lang's mother had passed away weeks before and it affected him terribly. Although they hadn't seemed particularly close, Xiao Lang loved her a great deal. Their lack of closeness was not because of any reason other than the fact that both mother and son lacked the characteristic of showing their emotions. To their own standards, they were very close, but to everyone else, they were very distant from one another. 

They were taking a break from their training at a local village. Wing Kuen had one hand placed in a comforting manner on Xiao Lang's shoulder, but if Xiao Lang noticed, he made no acknowledgement. Yu Hong was walking ahead of them, his mood no better than the young Prince's. His teacher and master had been assigned a mission and had left to finish it, leaving Yu Hong behind. He was hurt that he hadn't thought to bring him along. He didn't even say goodbye… 

As they walked through the streets, looking for a place to eat, a little girl ran up to them, carrying a basketful of flowers. She offered a red peony to Yu Hong but he ignored her completely and continued walking. The girl stared at him silently for a moment, then, undaunted, skipped over to Wing Kuen and Xiao Lang, and offered them the same. Xiao Lang blinked in surprise but accepted it silently, nonetheless. Wing Kuen took one as well and smiled at the girl. She flashed her own sweet smile in return before turning around and skipping back the way she came. The younger Prince's eyes followed her as she left and then shifted down to the flower. "Please, wait!" Yu Hong paused in mid-step and both he and Wing Kuen turned to look at Xiao Lang. The surprise was mirrored on both of their faces. Xiao Lang had never uttered a word since his mother had died. That he would start now was surprising but that his first words in months be to a girl he didn't even know was amazing. 

When the girl had stopped walking, Xiao Lang ran up and joined her. "Don't we have to pay you for this?" he asked, referring to the flower. The girl appeared thoughtful for a moment and then smiled at him. 

"The only payment I want," she said cheerfully, "is to see you smile. Because I'm sure it's a beautiful one." Xiao Lang was taken aback by this odd request and for a while did nothing. But afterward, with much effort, he produced a rather rusty smile, one that obviously hadn't been used for quite some time. The girl marveled at the change in Xiao Lang's face, brought about by only a simple smile. Leaning forward, she planted a light kiss on his cheek. "See? I told you it is beautiful." She turned and ran off, waving goodbye to the three of them. Xiao Lang hadn't moved a step the moment her lips touched his cheek and suddenly he flushed a deep red. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

The Chinese Prince awoke with a start. Throwing back the blankets, Xiao Lang sat up from the floor, where his make shift bed laid, and lightly ironed out the wrinkles in his shirt with his hand. He couldn't understand it. Why did he dream about her again? He hadn't seen her for more than four years, since he was thirteen, since the time she disappeared… His brow furrowed in anger as he remembered what caused her to walk out of his life and his fists clenched into balls. Glancing over at the bed, he saw Sakura curled up, fast asleep, her eyes buttoned shut. Placing his arms on the bed and resting his hand atop his hands, he observed her silently, his expression softening. She had such an innocent air surrounding her, filled with so much naïveté. Just seeing her smile completely calmed him. 

Feeling a warm breath tickle her forehead, Sakura's eyelids opened and she found herself face-to-face with Xiao Lang. Xiao Lang moved back in surprise and tumbled over his bed, forgetting it was there. Sakura sat up quickly. "Prince Li, are you okay?" 

Picking himself up and standing up, Xiao Lang nodded. "Xiao Lang, Sakura, it's Xiao Lang," he said with a little laugh. 

The two of them were "on the run" again, however, this time they had a mission to complete. The task of finding five rings didn't sound so difficult, but China had a great land mass and not much of it could be covered in one day. They were currently in Chongquig, the first place in their clue to finding their first ring. Of course, one thing that made their task all the much harder was the fact that both of them were being searched for by Shui Ken's soldiers. The Elder Chinese Prince did not intend to let them go. His guards and soldiers were everywhere and they had to be extra careful to watch every step they made and cover all their tracks. 

As Xiao Lang went to change, he picked up the little pouch where he kept Wing Kuen's long braid of hair. It was much easier to get away when soldiers were looking for a man with short hair, which was a rarity and easy to sight. Even if Xiao Lang didn't have to use the braid as part of his "disguise", he would have kept it anyway, as a lingering reminder of what his brother had done for him. Taking the braid out of the pouch, he neatly pinned it to his hair using one of Sakura's hair clips. Donning a farmer's garb over his white shirt and pants, along with a straw hat used to shield the sun, Xiao Lang was ready to leave when Sakura returned. They both looked like a pair of poor farmers and presented themselves as such. With a few items wrapped and strapped to their backs, they left the inn together and mingled easily with the crowd. 

If anyone had asked Sakura two years or so ago that she would be living her life like this, she might have been perplexed as to why she would and what the reason was to it. But she knew she'd rather live like this with Prince Xiao Lang, than in the comforts of the palace in the capital. To be sure, it wasn't all that comfortable for her, anyway, never knowing what Shui Ken had in mind. She shivered involuntarily at the remembrance and, when questioned by Xiao Lang, said it was nothing. However, Sakura's thoughts soon drifted back to her home in Japan, with the happy family party surrounding her. Even with his business as an Emperor, Emperor Kinomoto always found time to spend with Sakura. And although her brother constantly teased her, she knew deep down that he cared for her, too. There was also one other person that she loved and knew loved her in return…Yukito… But Sakura pushed her thoughts of him aside. He had disappeared during the battle that her brother had died in. To think about him opened up the wounds that she had tried her best to heal. 

As they continued down the road, Xiao Lang found himself watching Sakura quite often, without meaning to at all. Just what was it about her that made him wish to keep her from harms way so much? She was most definitely not anything like Wing Kay… 

"Xiao Lang, where are we going?" questioned Sakura, breaking the silence. 

"Fengdu," said Xiao Lang a little absently, his mind on other things. "The Ghost City." Suddenly he found that Sakura was no longer by his side and turned around. At the mention of "ghost", Sakura had stopped walking, standing rooted to the spot. "What's wrong?" It seemed to take a while for Sakura to find her voice again. 

"Did you say g-ghost?" she asked, rather fearfully. 

"Why do you ask?" queried Xiao Lang, with surprise. "You're afraid of ghosts?" He had never known. Sakura only nodded mutely, her lips pressed tight together. "It's only a name, Sakura," he said with a reassuring smile, "and besides, I'll make sure none of the ghosts get you." Sakura returned the smile wanly and rejoined him, still a little hesitant. 

In no time at all, two farmers were seen on a little boat, drifting gently along the Yangtze River. Xiao Lang had rented a little boat to use until they reached Fengdu. As the current was strong, there was no need for paddling and they let the current do its work. The night sky was slowly brightening as dawn approached. 

"Oh, Xiao Lang, will you look at that?" gasped Sakura. Xiao Lang's eyes followed Sakura's arm and saw that she was pointing at the sun slowly rising, breaking above the high peaks of the mountains. A new day was beginning. Sakura gently rested her head on the back of her hands and watched quietly with a small sigh. "Did you know that I used to see sunrises like this back in Japan? My room faced the eastern mountains and they were the most beautiful I've ever seen. I wish you could have seen them." 

"But I have seen them, and I agree. They're the most beautiful _I_ have ever seen." Sakura turned to give the Chinese Prince a startled glance. Xiao Lang just smiled at her. "Haven't I ever told you?" Sakura shook her head. "I've been to Japan once, when I was really young. I went with my father, the first son, Chi Shing, and…" Xiao Lang scratched his head in confusion for a moment. "I know another one of my brothers went with us, but I can't remember who at the moment. Both Emperors had wanted to improve relations between the two countries so it was the reason for our visit." 

Sakura had fallen silent as Xiao Lang spoke. She only heard half of what he was saying as she was suddenly reminded of something that happened when _she_ was nearly eight. Close to her eighth birthday, Sakura had been ill and taken out to the country. When she returned to the palace after her recovery, she heard of the visiting members from China but Sakura never met them formally. However, she had an accidental run in with one of the sons one of those nights they stayed. He had been miserable about something and the two of them had spent the night talking and after that, watching the sunrise together. The problem was, Sakura couldn't remember how he looked at all, try as hard as she might. He had left that very day they watched dawn together. But she did remember that she considered him her first unrequited love…and it was he that had taken her first real kiss… 

"I knew my father brought Chi Shing along," Xiao Lang was saying as Sakura returned her full attention back to him, "because he was the next to be Emperor and these foreign protocols needed to be observed by him. And although he never told me, I suspected my father brought me along because it was soon after my mother's death and he didn't want me to be alone, only thinking about this, and dwelling in depression. He tried so hard to make me talk, since I had completely closed up after my mother died, and though he wasn't able to succeed at it, there was one girl that regained my ability to speak with only a few kind words." Xiao Lang smiled rather fondly at the memory. 

The Japanese Princess could only stare at him with surprise. Xiao Lang…could he have been the one that she met those nine years ago? Was he her first unrequited love? Not to mention that he was _still_ her unrequited love… 

"Prince Xiao Lang?" Sakura started to say, rather quietly. Xiao Lang looked at her, still with the soft smile on his face. "Were you…? Did…did you…?" Xiao Lang watched Sakura rather curiously unsure of what she was trying to say. "Were you the one who-" A sudden gust of wind blew up, cutting her off. Xiao Lang stood up in surprise as he suddenly realized the environment the two of them had ventured into. Both of them had been so absorbed in their thoughts that neither realized the drastic change in the sky…and the waters themselves. The skies, which had been so clear and bright just moments before when they watched the sun rise, had turned black and thick with dark clouds as the heavens opened and the rain came pouring down in endless turrets. The wind continued to blow in huge fierce gales and the waters churned rapidly and violently, rocking the tiny craft and almost causing Xiao Lang to lose his balance. Dropping down to a low crouch, he saw Sakura was gripping tightly to the ledge of the boat. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and she looked up at him with slight terror in her eyes. 

"Xiao Lang…" she told him quietly, "I don't know how to swim…" 

"Don't worry," he told her reassuringly, trying to speak over the howl of the wind and the beating rain, "we're not going to leave this boat." As if to go completely against what he said, both of them were thrown back as the boat struck something in the water and an abrupt sound of splintering wood reached their ears. Xiao Lang whirled around to the source of the sound and saw that their watercraft had struck a fallen boulder. Huge cracks in the wood snaked their way around the boat, fairly ripping it to pieces. The boat had reached its breaking point; the entire craft split into a million pieces and both of them fell into the waters. 

Sakura hadn't been kidding, for she really couldn't swim and the current pulled her along. The rain was beating down relentlessly on her and the waters vamped her with its waves of endless water until she was pushed underwater. Xiao Lang forcefully swam toward her though he was swimming against the current. For some odd reason, the current was drifting two ways, as of trying to keep them apart. When Sakura went under, his heart suddenly seemed to keep still. Only when she resurfaced, coughing and gasping, did it resume its normal operations. 

The waters pushed the Japanese Princess into another fallen boulder and Sakura tried her best to hang onto it, although its slippery surface made it very difficult. As she pushed her wet hair away from her eyes and coughed up the water from her lungs, she saw that Xiao Lang was heading toward her. He broke past the line where the currents changed course and allowed it to pull him toward Sakura. Sakura tried to reach him with one outstretched hand, but she lost her grip on the boulder and fell back into the water. This time, however, she felt a strong hand encircling her wrist and pulling her back up to the surface. Xiao Lang held her around the waist with one arm and tried to tread water with the other, putting him in a rather awkward position. The current continues to pull them along and the rain and winds refused to let up. 

"Sakura, are you okay?" asked Xiao Lang with concern. She looked a little pale as she held onto him with one arm and attempted to tread water as he did, mimicking him. Sakura nodded silently and though Xiao Lang didn't believe it, he decided to wait until they were out of the situation to question again. Sakura didn't understand how a storm like this could appear out of nowhere. It was the strangest thing in the world… 

No, the sudden storm was not the strangest thing…that had to go to her pendant, which had begun glowing a light pink hue. Xiao Lang looked at it in surprise, as did Sakura. They both looked at each other with eyes wide and then back at the pendant. Amidst the darkness of the rain and the blackness of the skies, the light from the pendant changed to one of a bright blue. "This could only mean…the water ring?" thought Xiao Lang. 

~*Flashback*~

"Each ring can be recognized by a specific colour," said Li Ying Yu. "The ring of the Wind is white. Wood is brown, Water is blue, Fire is red, and Earth is green. The ring you are likely to encounter first is Wind, which is fortunate for it has a gentle spirit from what I've heard of from the legends." 

"Spirits?" questioned Sakura. 

"That's right," confirmed the Li Elder. "A spirit resides in each of the rings. They will always be sealed within the confines of their ring, however, if taken out of their resting place, their spirits will be unleashed unless locked by a key." 

"And just where are we supposed to find this key?" demanded Xiao Lang. 

Ying Yu didn't answer but instead, turned to face Li Jian Wei. "You'll know when the time comes," said the lead Elder. He picked up an old sword from his desk and placed it in Xiao Lang's hands. Xiao Lang looked over the sword from its handle to its sheath. Both were very plain in looks. The only ornamental thing on the sword was the tiny dragon's head that was carved into the sword handle. Its eyes seemed to be made of odd spherical objects. "You'll definitely be needing this," he told Xiao Lang. "Take good care of it. It once belonged to your Master for he was trying to accomplish the same mission you are about to embark before his murder." Hearing that only made Xiao Lang tighten his grip on the sword. 

~*End Flashback*~

Xiao Lang reached behind his shirt collar to lightly trace the dragon's head on the shield's handle with his fingers. He had the sword strapped to his back and hidden under his layers of clothing. The old sword had something to do with this mission, but the Elders never told him what. And they had said that the Wind ring was the one they were most likely to find most, yet, why was it that the Water ring was beckoning to them? 

"Xiao Lang, the star keeps getting brighter." The Chinese Prince let go of the sword and turned to face Sakura and the pendant again. It was like a beacon in the darkness. But then, it started to die down… Sakura, still with her emerald eyes wide, asked, "Does this mean we've passed it?" The current had suddenly slackened as well in their part of the river, but further down, where they had just been, the waters continued to shift violently. Xiao Lang half-guided, half-pulled Sakura to the shore and under an overhanging ledge, where she sat shivering in the cold, her robes clinging to her. 

"Wait here, okay?" asked Xiao Lang. "I'm going to go look for it. I think it's in the river." He turned to leave but Sakura took hold of his sleeve before he left. 

"Be careful, Xiao Lang," she said softly. Xiao Lang nodded reassuringly and waded back into the water. He dove underwater and soon disappeared from sight. Sakura clutched the star pendant in her hands and waited for his return. 

As Xiao Lang descended into the murky depths of the river, he realized that, although the current was still against him, the waters were relatively calm underneath, without the crashing waves and the heavy rain from above the surface. Adjusting his eyes to the darkness, something glowing lightly flickered in the distance and Xiao Lang knew immediately he had found what he was looking for. He quickly swam toward the soft light and reached down to pick up the ring. It wasn't a very large ring, with a diameter of only four centimeters, and only a centimeter thick. The minute his fingers closed over the ring, whirlpools formed in the water, surrounding him. They circled around him quickly until they became one giant whirlpool. The wall of waters reached to the surface and opened up to the dark sky above. His nostrils were able to breathe fresh air again as he stood within a circling pool of water, the rain coming down upon him. He had a feeling that the waters intended to trap him there until he released his hold on the ring. 

Without knowing what would happen, Xiao Lang placed the ring into his pouch and plunged one hand into the water wall. In an instant, the waters repulsed him and shot jets of water at him until he fell back into the center of the ring. The water was hard and slit parts of his clothes, cutting his skin. His thoughts immediately flew to his sword and he reached behind and wretched the sword loose from where he had tied it to his back. Unsheathing it, he approached the water again and this time stabbed it deep. He had expected it to go right through for water was usually liquid, but the water shifted it and avoided it, again shooting jets of water at him. Xiao Lang brought his sword back and reflected every single shot. The shots bounced off his sword as if they were solid and plopped back into the water several meters away. The Prince realized that the sword gave him a strong defense and, using it, forced his way through the waters and swam quickly. The giant whirlpool broke up and returned to being little whirlpools, which followed him at his heels but drew back every time he struck at them with his sword. He clambered up the shore, out of breath and the waters fell back as he stabbed his sword into the earth before it. For some reason, the sword struck a chord of fear to the waters. 

Sakura ran from the shelter of the overhanging and met up with Xiao Lang. As she neared him, she noticed that her pendant had begun to glow a bright blue again and kept getting stronger the closer she got to him. Xiao Lang reached for his pouch and withdrew the blue ring, its colour shining the same light as Sakura's pendant. Sakura gasped. "You found it, Xiao Lang," she said, with a soft smile. Xiao Lang nodded. 

"Yes, but if only we knew how to seal it," he said, gesturing to the threatening wall of water behind him, held back only by the presence of his sword. As if to answer his question, the star pendant suddenly floated upward and a flash of light followed. Tiny white wings sprouted and a golden key emerged from it, the gold star revolving quickly. The ring floated toward it as well and a tiny keyhole opened in the side of the ring. Sakura took the key, easily fitted it into the keyhole in the ring and turned it. The glow from the ring disappeared as its spirit was locked back into the ring. The waters subsided back into the river, the wind ceased its gales and the clouds disappeared into nothingness as the sun burst out again and continued to shine as if nothing had happened. The key and the wings vanished as the ring fell back into Xiao Lang's outstretched palm. Both Prince and Princess sighed in obvious relief. Meeting each other's eyes, they could only smile at each other and collapse onto the grassy bank in exhaustion. 

However, neither of them noticed a lone figure watching them from a distance on a cliffside. His hands were clenched into tight fists but relaxed soon afterward. There wasn't a single doubt about it in his mind. He would get the ring back. After all, nothing ever escaped from Chen Chi Yuen without his getting them back later. Chi Yuen had found the ring of Water, forcing through the place it inhabited, but he couldn't control it. Nor could he understand why he hadn't been able to. He was one of the most - if not _the_ most - powerful magicians in all of China. After he had lost control of the ring, the spirit had escaped and caused fierce storms everywhere it went. Recapturing it shouldn't have been difficult for him and yet a lowly Li magician had been able to defeat it with a plain little sword while he had completely failed. 

"No matter," whispered Chi Yuen softly, "I'll let you take care of it for me, but you must return it when I come back for it." His gaze left the Chinese Prince and shifted to the girl beside him, eyeing her thoughtfully. She didn't look like much in terms of power, that was for certain. And yet, even though the Li had defeated the spirit, it had been the girl that sealed it and locked it back inside. There might actually be more to her than she seems. "It's until next time, I suppose…" he thought to himself, before he left and vanished from the cliff. 

Xiao Lang finally got up to retrieve his sword and sheathed it, then rejoining Sakura as he sat down beside her. Sakura was still lying on her back, gazing up at the bright morning sky. But when she turned to look over at the Chinese Prince, for the first time, she noticed that droplets of blood were slowly rolling down his arm. She abruptly sat up. "Xiao Lang, you're hurt," she said, pointing at the blood. 

"Eh?" Xiao Lang looked at his arm. He hadn't even noticed that he had been wounded. "Don't worry. It's nothing," he said, nonchalantly wiping the blood away with his sleeve. But Sakura was already rolling up his sleeve and gently cleaning the wound and wiping away the blood with a washcloth she had taken from their pack. He watched her with a rather tender expression on his face and said nothing. The Japanese Princess deftly finished her work and, with another washcloth, tied it around the wound to stop the bleeding. They both smiled at each other again and Sakura found herself colouring lightly under his gaze. "Come on," said Xiao Lang finally, getting up and hoisting their two packs over his shoulders. "We definitely can't get to Fengdu by water anymore so we'll have to take the land route." With the Water ring stored safely in Xiao Lang's drawstring pouch, the two of them were on the road again. It was then that Xiao Lang realized that their earlier conversation had been interrupted. 

"Sakura," he began, "what were you trying to ask me earlier before we were attacked?" It all came back to Sakura then…the question of whether or not Xiao Lang had been her unrequited love of so many years ago. But how to ask him, oh, just how? She had no idea… 

"Prince Xiao Lang," said Sakura, in a voice that didn't really feel like her own, "do you still remember exactly everything that happened when you went to Japan?" Xiao Lang appeared thoughtful for a moment. 

"It's been nearly nine years," he admitted, "and yet, I still remember everything perfectly." 

Was it just her or was Sakura's heart beating faster? She wished it would slow down for it was beginning to make her feel a little dizzy. "Do you remember watching the sun rise over the mountains with someone on your last day at the palace in Japan?" Xiao Lang nodded again, though rather hesitantly this time, his expression softening at the memory. Sakura's eyes suddenly began to shimmer. So it was him. Her first love…first unrequited love and current…had been Xiao Lang all along… "It was you, wasn't it?" she asked him softly. At the perplexity in Xiao Lang's eyes, the explanation spilled out of Sakura's mouth in a rush…that he was the boy she had met…saddened about his life…watching the sunrise…and giving her her first kiss… As Sakura told him this, the look in Xiao Lang's eyes changed from one of confusion to understanding. 

When the Princess had finished, her eyes were downcast waiting for his response. The Prince did not fail to respond as he reached over to her and lightly lifted her chin up to face him and placing both hands on her shoulders. "Sakura…" he started slowly. He took a deep breath. "That wasn't me. It couldn't possibly be me." If there was ever a time that Sakura wanted to avoid Xiao Lang's amber eyes, now was that time. But she stood completely frozen, not able to budge an inch. "Throughout the duration of my visit," he explained, "I stayed in my room, never venturing out until our time of departure. I couldn't have met you before. I never once spoke a word when I was in Japan. When I said I watched the sunrise with someone…" He turned and looked away for a moment. "You might think it's silly," said Xiao Lang, "but I could feel my mother's presence so strongly then that I was certain she was there with me, watching with me." Facing Sakura again, he granted her a faint smile. "It may not have been me, but I'm sure you'll meet that boy again. He must be something special or you wouldn't have remembered him all these years, right?" 

For some reason, all of Xiao Lang's words caused the bottom to fall out of Sakura's world, though she didn't fully understand why. 

Author's Note: So even though Xiao Lang says he wasn't Sakura's first unrequited love, could he actually be him? Or could it be someone else entirely? If it was him, how come he doesn't remember it at all? So many questions, ne? Oh, and this little first love thing for Sakura should be discovered by the next chapter. =) 

*laughs nervously* Do you know I just realized that two of my characters had the same first part of their name? _Wing_ Kuen and _Wing_ Kay. o_O But, since I've already subtly introduced Wing Kay in the last chapter, the name is stuck. *sighs* I'm such an idiot sometimes. -_-* 

Did you like this chapter? Oh, do tell! I just live off of reviews, you know? ^_~ 

I dedicate this chapter to Manda/Amako-chan, Mel-san, and Kawaii-san for all those wonderful pics they've drawn related to this fic! When I get the chance, I'll post them on my site so everyone can see their wonderful work!! =) 

Researching for a fic does pay off sometimes, ne? ^_^ I accidentally came across the thing about Fengdu also being called "The Ghost City" and an idea came to mind for the next ring-focus chapter. =) I find it rather curious that I didn't come across this point when I was researching stuff on the Yangtze River for my other fic, "The New Cards". *laughs* I don't know what's with me and using this river. ^_^ 

Author's Note to sailordream3008: "_the king of china picks his fav. son, so he can become king._" Not necessarily, actually. It can be the eldest son out of all his concubines. It can also be the son of the Emperor's first concubine, etc. In the case of this story, it's the Emperor's very first son. 

Author's Note to butterfly_grl4: "_Is Li and Sakura going to admit that they both love each other?_" Who knows? Perhaps they'll never get a chance to… *evil look in her eyes* 

Author's Note to hanna_grace: I read the sequel and I absolutely love it!! ^_^ You're a much better writer than I'll ever be! *sighs* I can only wish to be as good… Are you going to write a sequel to your sequel now? ^_~ It's just so good, and sweet, and it can't just end like that… And see, I promised I'd post this chapter during Easter weekend and I did. =)

Author's Note to sakura-li: As for how the star is supposed to look, you can find it here. =) As for my Japanese exam…I didn't do as well as I _could've_ done and I am very angry at myself. If it weren't for those silly mistakes, I could have gotten at least over 90%. *furious at herself* 

Author's Note to nadeshiko707: *laughs* That's okay. I was a little confused at first, I'll admit. ^_^ 

Author's Note to chunsa1004: Do I remember you? Of course I do! ^_^ And I gave you my permission. =) Of course, it was a while ago, and I thought _you_ forgot about it. o_O I'd love to see your pic when it's finished. =) 

Author's Note to Chiharu Mihara: Of course I recognize you, Princess Chiharu-san. =) I remembered you once mentioned what your FF.N account was. ^_^ 

Author's Note to Kitty Meow: Oh, wow, I never thought anyone could like it that much… Cha, you forgot the author? Little ole' me? *sniffles* I'm crushed… =( … *smiles* Kidding, kidding. =) I hope it didn't cause you too much trouble trying to find this fic. 

Author's Note to Sakura Starr: Hai, I will be continuing to write more chapters to this fic. =) I won't stop writing until it's finished either! 

To be honest, I wasn't really feeling motivated to write this chapter, but all my other fics had huge writer's blocks that would take some time to overcome. o_O I'm rather unsure why I lost most of my motivation… 

Oh, and out of curiosity, who (out of all my original characters, and them only) do you like the most? The least? Is there any character you'd like to learn more about? Let me know! (I might take one or two chapters out to focus on a few of my original characters and I'm trying to decide which ones. I've already thought of something for one character, but I won't say what or whom it's about yet.) 

*Sakura   
~The Animé Archives Team


	12. Forgotten Dreams

**The Guiding Star**

Forgotten Dreams: Chapter Twelve

By: Sakura

  
Xiao Lang stood by an open window, staring out at the night sky in quiet reflection. Both he and Sakura had reached the outskirts of Fengdu and decided to rest for the night before they ventured into the city tomorrow. Closing the window by pulling the board shut, Xiao Lang walked back to where Sakura was sleeping. She had been very quiet ever since earlier. She never said a word unless she really had to. He didn't understand it at all; why was she avoiding him? Did he do something wrong? Say something wrong? He thought she would have been happy to be reassured that she may meet this unrequited love of hers again. Xiao Lang was only relieved that she didn't know how much it hurt him to say those words earlier.

Settling into his usual makeshift bed on the ground, the Prince couldn't sleep right away. "After nine years," he thought, "Sakura's never forgotten this boy once. To care so much for someone…" Xiao Lang knew at that very moment that he honestly envied that boy, whoever he was. Why, though, he could not say. He did not know why. All he knew was that the thought made him feel rather bitter. "Well," he quietly said aloud, "if she'll be happy with him, then I suppose that's all that really matters…" Pushing the thoughts of the boy out of his mind, Xiao Lang closed his eyes and tried to sleep. But sleep refused to come to him that night, leaving him staring blankly up at the ceiling until the wee hours of morn. Only then did it mercifully ensnare him into a dreamless slumber.

~*~*~*~*~*~

He was tired of everything. Why was life always treating him so? And the one thing that he loved…had been viciously stolen away from him.

Sitting up, he looked down at the woman sleeping beside him, breathing softly. She was a pretty little thing with long, silky black hair and velvety brown eyes. No ugly women for him, he often said. Getting up from the bed he had occupied with his fourth concubine, Li Shui Ken donned a light robe over his white button-down shirt and pants and quietly slipped into the dark hallway. The past few months of search had been an utter waste. He very well knew that he was no closer to catching up with his brother than he was when Xiao Lang had first made his escape. Silently treading down the stairs, the Chinese Prince crossed the entryway to the doors and opened them.

"Master Li?"

Shui Ken turned around to face the source of the voice and watched as his "advisor", joined him. Ng Xiang Zhi was the only person that the Prince fully trusted and though they weren't really considered friends, from the Prince's point of view, Xiang Zhi was completely loyal to him, for the Prince had once saved his life. However, his younger brother, Ng Fu Shan, had a completely opposite attitude toward Shui Ken.

"I'm just going out for a walk," said Shui Ken amiably. "You're welcome to join me." Xiang Zhi assented silently and the two men left the building and into the faint breeze surrounding the courtyard outside. They had settled down on the ledge of a bridge and sat quietly together for a few minutes. The Chinese Prince was watching the room. To him, it always seems to cast cold beams of light, the night sky it settled it engulfing everyone into its dark folds. Suddenly, Shui Ken broke the silence. "Do you know what I hate most?" he asked his companion. Xiang Zhi followed Shui Ken's gaze.

"The moon," he said, unhesitatingly. It was more of a statement than a question. Shui Ken's face twisted into a scowl for a moment. Then he let his features relax.

"My hatred for the moon…it's the same as my love for the sun… They're both just as deep," whispered the Prince.

Xiang Zhi was silent, thinking of what he meant. Then a smile of understanding dawned on his face. "Your feeling of hate for your brother…it's as deep as your feeling of love for that Japanese Princess," he thought to himself. Shui Ken couldn't hear him, but his companion knew it to be so. Recognizing the rather contemplative look in the Prince's eyes and his general expression, Xiang Zhi knew he wanted to be alone. He bowed to him once and quietly slipped away, leaving Shui Ken alone to watch the night sky and the stars twinkling overhead. Shui Ken said nothing to stop him, rather grateful that he had left. It wasn't that he didn't want his company, but sometimes he just wanted to be alone.

How could the Shui Ken of the present be described now? There was no doubt that he was powerful, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Nothing could touch him; the emotions he ever felt for the most part were anger and hatred. He was also a handsome man, something that most definitely could not be denied, with midnight blue hair, nearly the shade of black, and cold amber eyes. Just one scornful look from those eyes could freeze a weaker person and make them feel as if they were far below him. And he possessed a strong attraction that drew people to him, whether it made them love him or hate him.

Ah, but the Shui Ken of the past was a very different person…and once in a while Shui Ken graciously allowed himself to slip back into part of what he once was. He had been a weakling, something he hated to admit. Weak in health and emotion. His father never paid especial attention to him as he had for some of his other brothers - Shui Ken scowled again - like Xiao Lang… He had envied his younger brother for the longest time. He had strength and magic at his disposal while little Shui Ken had absolutely nothing. The fact that he was the ninth son didn't help much either. And even to his mother, Shui Ken still wasn't at the top. He was the youngest of all his siblings and the second son, at that. His older brother was Hon Chung, the fourth son of the Emperor. Following him were two sisters, and finally, Shui Ken. However, aside from the fact that he wished he were the elder of him and his brother, Shui Ken loved his brother a great deal and Hon Chung was always very kind to him, even when no one else was.

But when Shui Ken was eleven, everything started to change for him. Hon Chung, coming back from a trip in the far off mountains, suddenly became gravely ill. Shui Ken was never really allowed to visit him, for people feared that Hon Chung's sickness may be contagious, but the young prince didn't care. He always sneaked in and even when his older brother reprimanded him for disobeying, Shui Ken continued to visit him. He liked nothing more than to sit by his brother's bedside, letting him pat him lightly on the head, showing through a simple little gesture that he loved him. One day, his mother had entered the room while the brothers were together. Angered that her son had disobeyed, she had the guards take him out and watch him while she and the doctor attended to Hon Chung. Even to this day, Shui Ken could still hear Hon Chung's wracking coughs as the latter tried to tell their mother that it was okay. However, she only turned her anger to him, saying he should have known better than to endanger his younger brother's health.

~*Flashback*~

Running from his home, Shui Ken didn't stop for anything. Not when his mother scolded him, now when the ministers called for him, not even when the guards chased him. He only wished to be alone. Why couldn't anyone understand that?

Stopping by a stream, Shui Ken gazed at his reflection, only to find a small boy with a deep scowl set in his face. Why was it that he had to live a life like this? He hated it with a passion. He wished he and his brother could move far, far away and live by themselves in peace. But that was never to be.

Hearing approaching footsteps, Shui Ken didn't bother moving from his spot. What was the point? He was forever going to be trapped within the walls of the palace. May as well face the punishment now than later. They were easier on children sometimes, and he knew it. As the footsteps paused, the words announcing the arrival of Emperor Li reached his ears. Of all people, it just had to be his father. A hand rested gently on his shoulder, but Shui Ken stubbornly refused to budge. The hand retreated but seconds later, two pairs of hands roughly lifted the boy from his seat and forced him to turn around. The guards were the ones who moved him. Shui Ken's eyes flickered up for a moment and saw his father was silently observing him, before they focused on the ground.

Wong Hsiang En, an advisor to the Emperor, said in his usual shrill voice, "You are supposed to show respect to your Emperor! This rude behaviour is entirely unacceptable and, furthermore, disrespectful!" The young Chinese Prince's hands clenched into tighter balls of fists, as he felt anger welling up inside of him at the advisor's words. "And you must- Emperor?" Emperor Li held one hand out in front of Hsiang En, gesturing for him to stop. Hsiang En fell silent, but rather sulkily.

"Release him," he told his guards quietly, "and leave us alone." The two guards exchanged a glance and immediately let go of him. Shui Ken scowled at them as he scraped together what was left of his dignity. Everyone else, guards, ministers, and the advisor, meekly obeyed and left. The guards however, stationed themselves at the various entrances to the gardens. The Emperor of China sat down on the ledge and smiled amiably at his son. "Have a seat," he said invitingly. Shui Ken glanced down disdainfully at the seat but said nothing. However, he complied and sat down. The atmosphere between them was one of stony silence that was not comfortable for either person.

"I heard you wanted to leave this place," said the Chinese Emperor in a light tone, implicating nothing. Nonetheless, Shui Ken's head shot up and he stared at his father. The former pretended not to notice. "I'll be leaving here soon," he continued, "for some business." He turned to face his son, his eyes fixed on him. "Would you like to come?"

~*End Flashback*~

~*~*~*~*~*~

With eyes long since dried of its tears, Sakura found herself staring at the ceiling that morning, all pretence of sleep having abandoned her. Upon reflection, she realized that she had been acting rather silly. She had to make up to Xiao Lang for her earlier discourtesy. After all, she did owe him so much…

Sitting up, she glanced over at the table on the opposite side of the room, where they had left their meagre belongings. The sunlight crept into the room through the cracks on the window shutter, causing tiny shadows to dance around the room. As Sakura got out of her bed, she lightly tiptoed across the room, past Xiao Lang's bed on the ground, toward that table. As she reached for her own bag, a sudden voice made her freeze.

"What are you doing, Sakura?" Sakura turned around rather awkwardly and saw that Xiao Lang had sat up as well and was watching her. Apparently, he had woken when he sensed her movement. She bit her lip, not knowing how to answer. Instead, she reached into her bag and took out a small package. Silently crossing the space between them, she knelt down by Xiao Lang's bedside and held out the item, her head bowed down, rather shyly. Xiao Lang wordlessly took the parcel with curiosity. Unwrapping the outer layer of cloth, he found a small drawstring pouch and inside it, an embroidered handkerchief.

The pouch was made with a dark green cloth with a little circlet design. It closed with a golden-shaded string, with a small tassel at the end. The handkerchief was delicately made with dark green borders entwined with white and his name written with the same green shade. When Xiao Lang looked up at Sakura, he saw she was still in her kneeled position and her head still bowing down.

"O-otanjoubi omedeto, Xiao Lang," she stammered softly.

Xiao Lang lightly fingered the stitching on the handkerchief. Gently placing his hands on her shoulders, he pushed Sakura up to a sitting position. "How did you know?" he asked her. "That it was my birthday today?"

"Mei Ling told me," she answered, "before we left." Xiao Lang smiled warmly at her.

"Thank you," he said. He had always used to get little gifts from his Master and his father, but on his sixteenth birthday, his Master had long since perished and his father was ill. But his seventeenth birthday was different this time… Not knowing what possessed him, the Chinese Prince gently pulled Sakura's chin toward him and kissed her lightly on the cheek. Sakura turned crimson, but he didn't notice. "You're not still angry at me, are you?" he whispered into her ear. When he pulled away from her, Sakura tilted her head to one side questioningly.

"Why would I be angry with you, Prince Xiao Lang?" she asked. She smiled at him and he was relieved to see that she returned to her usual self. "I should just leave the past behind me," thought Sakura to herself. "My future is the most important right now."

~*~*~*~*~*~

Listening to an old minister drone on and on was not Shui Ken's idea of spending the afternoon. He absently murmured yes and no when necessary, but his mind drifted off again to someplace else.

~*Flashback*~

He hated his father. He was nothing but a liar.

How dare he? He _must_ have known about the tensions between Shui Ken and Xiao Lang by now. And yet, he takes the two of them - and their eldest brother, Li Chi Shing - with him on his "business trip". Shui Ken had no idea where they were going, but he couldn't care less about that. The prospect of travelling with his hated brother was more than he could stand. And that the travel to their unknown destination would take many, many days! How much more was he to endure…?

Shui Ken cast a withering glance at his younger brother, but if Xiao Lang noticed, he paid no heed. The latter son was actually staring out the window, oblivious to his surroundings. All he could think about was his mother. He was only eight and he took her death pretty hard. Shui Ken couldn't remember him saying a single word after she passed on. "Stupid idiot," thought the ninth son with obvious contempt. Many nights and days passed, and Shui Ken regretted more and more to agreeing to tag along. His father hardly gave him any attention. He was either teaching Chi Shing proper foreign protocol, since he was to be the next Emperor if anything happened to the current one, or he was attempting to make Xiao Lang say at least one word. He had been completely unsuccessful with his latter goal.

Being so wrapped up in his thoughts, Shui Ken had hardly noticed they had reached their destination. The carriage slowly halted to a stop as its passengers prepared to meet their hosts for the next few weeks. As Emperor Li stepped out, his arrival was announced and Emperor Kinomoto moved forward as well. Both rulers bowed to each other in respect. Chi Shing stepped down as well, followed by a sullen Shui Ken, and a reluctant Xiao Lang. Emperor Kinomoto smiled graciously at his guests, warm and inviting as he bade them welcome to his home. The ninth son allowed his attention to wander about as they walked through vast gardens, toward the main building. The scenery was indeed quite breathtaking, decorously filled with blossoming flowers, flourishing trees and bushes, and sparkling waters. And the night sky overhead, filled with twinkling stars reminded Shui Ken of his home, and his brother. He wondered how Hon Chung was doing…and hoped that he would recover his strength soon.

Turning his attention to the two Emperors ahead, Shui Ken was surprised to hear them share a laugh. For the first time, he noticed that the Japanese Emperor spoke fluent Chinese and had no problems communicating with his father. Emperor Kinomoto glanced back at the three sons with a smile, but when his eyes met Shui Ken's, a slight frown replaced the smile and there was a startled look in his eyes. The former quickly broke the gaze and resumed his talk with the Chinese Emperor, leaving the latter utterly confused. Had he imagined the whole thing? Why did he give him such a look? As if he had reason to be wary of him? They had never even met before…

Just a few paces ahead of Shui Ken, Kinomoto Fujitaka wondered the same thing. Why was it that, when he looked into the eyes of that boy, a cold feeling washed over him? He had never seen him before in his life, so… Fujitaka tried to laugh it away, that he had misinterpreted the whole thing. Shui Ken was only a young boy, and he was no different from anyone else. And yet, the Japanese Emperor couldn't shake the anticipation of dread away…

~*~*~*~*~*~

Glancing around the table during dinner, Shui Ken did not see Xiao Lang anywhere in sight. "What happened to the fifteenth brother?" he asked Chi Shing.

"Fifteenth brother wishes to be alone, so father let him stay in his room," responded Chi Shing rather absently. He was trying to pay attention to the protocols that passed between his father and the Japanese Emperor, wanting to learn as much as he could about everything.

This answer did not suit Shui Ken. Why should his younger brother get "special" treatment all the time? It wasn't fair at all! Abruptly standing up and placing down his chopsticks, the Chinese Prince announced, "Gochisousama deshita. But I'd rather be alone right now." Emperor Li was glaring at his son for his impudence at such a time, but Shui Ken didn't care. All of the wrongs that hurt him bubbled to the surface now and he wanted to escape from it now.

"Shui Ken!" began his father in anger. "You-"

"-may leave," finished Emperor Kinomoto, even though those weren't the words the former Emperor intended to use, and everyone present knew that. He smiled at Shui Ken. "Please return when you're feeling better." Without so much as a nod of acknowledgement, Shui Ken turned and walked out of the room, not daring to look at his father, but knowing how angry he was with him. However, he didn't care. Upon reaching the hallway, the Prince ran the rest of the way to his room. Sliding the door shut behind him, he strode straight to his window and knelt down beside it, opening it partway as he did. Angry tears stung his eyes as all he could do was recall all the hurt that accumulated inside of him. No one ever understood him - ever could… Only if they went through the exact same events he had to suffer through would he even consider them close to it.

A smile came to his lips as he thought of his brother. Wiping his tears away with his sleeve, he rested against the ledge of the window and looked up at the bright stars overhead. The thought that his brother could be watching the same stars as him comforted him a bit and calmed his heart. A great distance away, a star fell, sprinkling its bright light across the dark sky. This occurrence reminded Shui Ken of something his brother told him once that if a star fell, it meant that someone had died. He wondered briefly if it could have been someone he knew, but dismissed it immediately and decided to retire for the night.

And far, far away, a woman was told that her son had died. She may as well have been a stone, for she expressed no change in reaction nor did she move from her sitting position by her son's bedside. It was a long time before she said anything. "How selfish my son is…" she said finally, in a voice filled with deadly calm, conveying no emotion whatsoever, "to leave the rest of us to suffer in this world while he can rest easily in peace in the next."

~*~*~*~*~*~

Shui Ken absently drummed his fingers on the ledge of the window in his room. They had been there for…how long? A week? A fortnight? He was starting to miss the familiarity of home and rather longed to return. At the moment, the Prince was feeling melancholy for the letter he had written home to his brother had given him no reply. It wasn't like Hon Chung to neglect him in this matter. Concluding that the letter must have been lost, he got up and left his room, in search of another scroll to write on. Passing by Xiao Lang's room, he saw the Japanese Emperor standing just outside of it quietly. Upon noticing the boy, Fujitaka nodded politely to him. Shui Ken stared at him for a moment, bowed quickly, then turned and ran back the way he came. He had almost reached his room when he heard one of the servants calling him.

"Prince Li, Prince Li," he said, urgently. The servant dropped to his knees in a bow before him before facing him again. "Emperor Li would like to see you." Shui Ken assented quietly and followed the servant to his father's room, where the servant departed right after reaching it, closing the room doors behind him. The Chinese Emperor was clutching a scroll in his hand, and the lines around his eyes and face made him appear older.

"Sit down, ninth son," said the Emperor. Shui Ken realized that his father suddenly looked more tired than before. "We'll be leaving here soon…sooner than was originally planned…" The Prince couldn't understand why he was telling him this. "The fourth son," resumed Emperor Li, in a tone far quieter than usual, "had died the same night we arrived in Japan. His health completely broke down and he could no longer sustain against his sickness." The Emperor suddenly threw the scroll away as he dropped into a chair and held his head in his hands, shoulders shaking.

No emotion seemed to awaken in Shui Ken. He merely sat there, mouth slightly open, and tears openly streaming down his face. The news had not sunken in yet. Hon Chung…he could not be dead! Not him…ever… With a heavy heart, he got up and silently left his father's room, only wanting to be back in the silence of his own room. He wanted to be alone. The tears were still falling as he trudged down the hallway, not bothering to wipe them - what would the point be? The Japanese Emperor had stepped out of Xiao Lang's room and into the hallway, and was rather startled to see Shui Ken walking in that manner. But the latter did not see him at all and he continued walking, until he reached his room. He walked into his room, slid the door shut and just stared at the floor, not budging an inch.

Hon Chung was…dead…

Emotion shook Shui Ken from head to toe as he crumpled to the ground, his arms wrapped tightly around his legs and sobs wracking his chest. Wouldn't the pain ever end? The only person that cared for him…that believed in him…was gone…forever…and he never even got a chance to say goodbye… This last thought brought on a fresh wave of sobs and his anguished howls could be heard from the farthest corners of the palace.

~*~*~*~*~*~

So then, what was left for Shui Ken? Nothing…and no one…

His tears long since finished, Shui Ken did nothing other than staring out the window, at the night sky. With his heart full of sorrow, the young Prince could not sleep a wink. Nor could he stay in his room. It felt so stifling and empty…he craved companionship and an understanding heart.

Knowing of the guard outside his door, Shui Ken quietly swung one leg over the ledge of the window and pulled himself outside; thankful that his room was on the ground floor. He stole away into the night, seeking a more 'comforting' corner. The wind blew gently and he found himself surrounded by pretty pink petals. Cherry blossom petals, if he recalled their name correctly. He looked up to see a long row of those cherry trees, each and every one in full blossom. For some reason unknown to him, the ying hua felt soothing to him, and Shui Ken sat under a tree, in deep thought. He wondered briefly if he could take a few pretty blossoms home to show his brother, and then remembered that he had no brother to meet him when he returned and the beauty in the thought was instantly crushed. Why couldn't he just die, too?

A soft giggle reached his ears and Shui Ken looked up in surprise, realizing he wasn't alone. A little girl was dancing among the falling petals of the trees, laughing as she went. She hadn't seen him and he preferred that she didn't, so he huddled closer to the tree, curling up into a smaller ball. She would have passed by him without notice if he hadn't stepped on a tree branch and broke it in half, the sound of wood splitting the air. The girl froze and turned toward the sound, and finally saw Shui Ken. She turned red as she realized someone had witnessed her in her silliest moments and wondered what this stranger thought of her. The thought vanished from her mind seconds later and she amiably ambled over to him, with a sweet smile on her face.

"Hajimemashite," she greeted, still with the shy, sweet smile.

"Ha-hajimemashite," stammered Shui Ken in response. The little girl tilted her head to one side in surprise.

"Hoe?" she said. "So Japanese isn't your first language? Are you from China?" The Prince nodded immediately. "I can speak Chinese, too," continued Sakura, with a grin. "Otousama and niisama taught me." She took Shui Ken's hand and drew the reluctant boy away from the base of the tree, and out to the open field, with its pathways, twisting trees, and flower gardens. "What's your name? Where are you from? I'm Kinomoto Sakura, the daughter of Emperor Kinomoto." Everything she said was accompanied with a smile.

"I'm…" started Shui Ken hesitantly, but instantly faltering. "I-I'm just a Prince from China." Sakura nodded with understanding.

"So that means you're one of our guests," she said cheerfully, as she settled down on the railing of a small bridge, carelessly swinging her legs back and forth. Shui Ken quietly stood behind her, watching the little girl with slight interest. Her happiness was rather infectious for the pain in his heart was dulling slightly. "I'm sorry that neither niisama nor I were there to greet you all when you arrived," she continued to say. "I recently took ill and otousama sent me to a quiet place away to recover and he had niisama accompany me."

Sakura suddenly clenched her fists and banged them against the railing. "Wah, but niisama's so mean!" she cried. "He kept saying only monsters like me could get sick like that!" Without her hands balancing her, the little princess tottered dangerously and she fell backward with a gasp. Shutting her eyes tight, she prepared to hit the floor of the wooden bridge, but opened them seconds later, when she realized that she had been stopped in mid-air. Shui Ken had caught her before she fell and Sakura looked up into his amber eyes. Deep down, she could see an infinite sadness about them and that they were still damp from recent tears. As she was assisted to a proper standing position, Sakura tilted her head again slightly as she observed him carefully. "Are you okay?" she asked him, concern evident in her voice. "Did…" She hesitated slightly, wondering if she was treading on grounds that would best be left alone. "Did something happen? You seem so sad…"

Shui Ken looked down into her soft green eyes with surprise. He hadn't realized how careless he had been, regarding the display of his emotions. Something caught in his throat, as if trying to prevent him from speaking. "My older brother," he choked out, "has passed away." The Prince suddenly found himself on the verge of tears again. Instantly, Sakura flung her arms around him in an innocent hug. She looked up at him with her own shimmering emerald eyes, the air of naïveté never lifting.

"It hurts now, doesn't it?" she whispered softly. Shui Ken slipped his arms around her tiny frame, seeking comfort in her embrace…and finding it. The next wave of tears that he had been trying to hold back collapsed, as tears ran down his face again. He cursed himself for being so weak and pathetic, especially in front of a girl, but compassion was all that Sakura had for him as she held him while he wept. "Though it may sound terrible to us now," she resumed in a soothing tone, "eventually, the pain _will_ go away. So the current pain we feel doesn't eat us up entirely, we must let go of it, and remember our loved ones and all the happy times we've had together. And don't forget: our loved ones cannot fully die unless we forget them. For while we live, they will continue to live in out hearts, as long as we cherish their memory." Shui Ken's tears abruptly ceased as he suddenly pulled away from Sakura, to look at her face-to-face.

"How old are you, Sakura?" he asked her.

"I'm going to be nine soon," she responded with a bright smile, her cheerfulness returning to her.

"You're only eight?" Shui Ken questioned in complete surprise. He allowed a smile to cross his lips. "For only eight-years-old, you seem to be rather wise…" Sakura dropped her smile for a moment, a tinge of sadness washing over her face.

"I know what it's like to have a loved one die, too," she said quietly. "Okaasan died when I was little…" As quickly as her expression saddened did it brighten up again. "Ne," she continued, suddenly pointing at the sky, near the area of the East mountains, "what do you see, Prince Li?"

The Chinese Prince turned to see what the girl was pointing to. "The sky is brightening," he answered in confusion. What did that have to do with anything?

"Exactly!" Sakura clapped her hands together as she watched with her face uplifted to the sky. "The sun will rise soon, bringing with it dawn, and signify that a new day has begun. It's another day we have to _live_ in. That is our duty to those that have passed on. We must live for them, and show them that, no matter what, we can be happy. After all, that is all they really want… They wouldn't want us to be miserable for the rest of our lives…" Before Shui Ken could respond to this, the sun rose above the mountains, bright and majestic in all of its light. Darkness shied away at the approach of this brilliant ball of fire, turning the sky into shades of pale blue. "Uwaa…" was all Shui Ken heard from his companion. Taking a sidelong glance at her, he saw that her hands were clasped tightly together as her eyes drank in the beauty of the scene before. Sakura turned to face Shui Ken and was surprised to see him watching her intently. The Prince slowly moved from his position by his side until he stood directly in front of her.

"Sakura," he said in a fierce whisper, "you are the sweetest thing!" He bent down and covered her soft lips with his own in a kiss. Sakura's eyes widened further but closed immediately afterwards, as a faint blush crept over her cheeks. A warm feeling washed over her, a feeling she couldn't describe. The only thoughts that filled her mind were that she was receiving her very first kiss!

"Himesama!" The voice broke the magic of the morning. "Where are you?" Sakura pulled away instantly, knowing that she had been called. Her eyes spoke for her, the apology clear in their emerald depths.

She turned to leave, but Shui Ken held her back, with a tight grip on her hand. Pulling her closer to him, he whispered into her ear, "Thank you for everything. I'll never forget you." His grip tightened further. "I'll seek you out again and that's a promise." He released Sakura's hand and, turning away, ran, leaving the Japanese Princess behind alone, so that he wouldn't be found in her company, and headed back toward his own room. Sakura could only watch him leave, her fingers lightly touching her lips.

The Princess was absolutely right. Shui Ken had to release the hurt that he received upon hearing of Hon Chung's death and simply remember his brother for all the happiness he had given him. He was determined to continue living for Hon Chung's sake. He would have wanted it, after all. So occupied in his thoughts, the Prince almost hadn't realized that someone had been watching him. No, more like glaring. It felt like someone was trying to bore two holes in his back. Pausing slightly, he looked around and, for the first time, noticed someone standing on a balcony, watching him intently. He was a very tall, broad-shouldered lad, with short blackish-brown hair, and a grim look on his face. Both stared at each other for a long time and Shui Ken's felt his eyes narrow in annoyance. Who did this person think he was? To think he could intimidate a Prince of China. The unknown person watched him only for a few more seconds before he turned and entered the palace. Shui Ken shrugged the entire incident away and continued back to his room. His thoughts had been so engrossed with thinking about the sweet Japanese Princess that he hardly heard his servant when they told him they were to leave Japan later in the day.

~*End Flashback*~

"I do believe you aren't listening to me, Prince Li," complained the old minister. Shui Ken awoke from his reverie with a start. It was true that he had completely ignored the minister's words, but who cared, anyhow?

"Master Li is very tired," interjected Xiang Zhi to the minister in a sharp tone, before the Prince could answer. "Perhaps you can present this another time." The minister looked as if he were about to object. Instead, he bowed to the Prince and left the room. Shui Ken flashed a grateful smile to his advisor and Xiang Zhi bowed to him as well, before ducking out to the shadows of the room, relatively leaving his master to himself and his private thoughts.

Shui Ken knew that meeting Sakura had changed his life. He had resolved to rid himself of every weakness, such as tears, and emotions like sadness and grief, to prove that he was strong enough for her. It didn't matter that his father hardly interacted with him or that most of his half brothers ignored him, he trained himself hard, to become more skilled in the arts of swordsmanship, and to be more cunning, especially in battles. The ninth son still continued to compare himself to the fifteenth son, but never in terms of magic. It was useless to do that. Instead, he focused to exceed Xiao Lang in every other way. As the years wore by, Shui Ken was no longer a 'runt'. He could hardly be identified as the soft, kind boy from years before. His personality had undergone such a great change, as left him cold and almost brutally heartless. If he did have a heart by then, it was only the hope that he cherished since he was eleven, to have the girl who he loved since that time.

Of course, when someone physically grows up as Shui Ken has, he was bound to attract attention. At only seventeen, he already had five concubines, while most of his brothers had one or two, three at the most. It could not be denied that he was physically attractive, but his personality and his treatment of others were different stories. He had been betrayed by both his second and third concubines, who both sought love elsewhere when they could not find it in him. As concubines were not allowed to be disloyal to the one they were given to, they were both killed for their offensive deeds. It was a punishment that all concubines knew of and reminded that they, too, should not commit the same offense. But because of all of this, although Shui Ken still managed to save face, he had lost a bit of his confidence, though no one would have known, just by looking at him from the outside.

Weeks before the first attacks by China to Japan, Shui Ken had secretly gone alone to see Emperor Kinomoto. He wanted to ask for his daughter, Sakura, to be given to him. Fujitaka flatly refused his request, having never fully trusted the Prince since he had met him those many years ago. Outraged, Shui Ken rashly declared that he would lay Japan all in ruins for turning down his request and Fujitaka granted him no response, letting the Prince return home in a fury. With the Chinese Emperor ill and confined to his bed, the ninth son took this opportunity to persuade everyone that the Japanese country were against China and that it should be taken down on all accounts.

And this is also why, in his moments of insecurity, that after Sakura agreed to be his did he have his soldiers burn the capital and everything near it. He was half-afraid that Sakura would leave him, or betray him like his other concubines had. Somehow, Shui Ken had convinced himself that this was the only way he could keep Sakura to himself.

Why the Chinese Prince had never told the Japanese Princess of the few hours they had shared when they were younger was a slight mystery to him. All he knew was that he nearly forgot about that time. All he had done was work toward the goal of obtaining the girl's hand, but he had almost forgotten why he wanted it so much, being completely caught up by the pursuit. However, what made him most angry was that, after working so hard and pushing himself so much toward that one goal, that Xiao Lang could just step in and take it away in a second. Shui Ken absolutely would not tolerate such nonsense.

"Excuse me for interrupting, Master Li." Shui Ken turned around to face Xiang Zhi, an eyebrow raised questioningly. He knew immediately by the look on the latter's face that he had good news for him. "The traitor Prince, Li Xiao Lang, has been sighted outside of Fengdu." The ninth son smiled for the first time in a while.

"You thought you could trick me, didn't you, Xiao Lang?" he mused, still smiling. "I'll get you yet." Out loud, he asked, "Was Sakura with him?"

"Yes," answered the advisor briefly, with a slight nod.

"Good," approved Shui Ken. "Then have those soldiers sent out immediately, while we still have the element of surprise to our advantage." Xiang Zhi nodded and left the room. A satisfied smile spread across Shui Ken's face again. "You'll be mine again, Sakura…soon…" The Prince could not erase the image of the laughing little girl dancing amongst the falling cherry blossom petals.

  
Author's Note: I've been thinking about this for some time and I suppose I've finally decided. If anyone would like to know when the next chapter is posted here, please leave me your e-mail in the review. =) Any other comments would be fine, too. ^_^ Oh, and hanna-chan, I'll just tell you when I see you at school. =)

This was a rather "Shui Ken-centric" chapter, ne? It turned out to more of a side story than a chapter, as it temporarily veered away from the main story. Don't worry; we'll be back to the main storyline in the next chapter. =) So, what do you think of Shui Ken? You aren't mad that he's the boy Sakura remembers are you? *decides to hide somewhere, just in case o_O* Honestly, did anyone expect it to be him?

Phew, this was a rather long chapter, ne? It's even longer the chapters usually are for "The New Cards". o_O Do note that if you'd like to know of the progress of any of my fics that you may refer to my author profile for details. ^_^

Oh, and "otanjoubi omedeto" means "happy birthday", and "gochisousama deshita" translates to something similar to "thanks for the food". =) I don't think there's an exact translation for the latter word, which is why I left it as it was.

Author's Note to Nippion: Maze in Yu-Gi-Oh? Huh? *confused* Gomen ne…YTV hasn't gotten very far in Yu-Gi-Oh (started almost recently) so I honestly have no clue what you're referring to… ^_^* A thousand years worth of ideas, ne? That would be really nice. =) Arigato!

Author's Note to chibiookamigirl: "_doshite did ya have to go?!?!?!?!_" Hoe? What are you referring to, chibiookamigirl-san? Because I honestly have no idea… Gomen.

Author's Note to Satine: I'm very slowly getting to that, Satine-san. =) To be honest, after I inserted that tiny thing about Xiao Lang's master, I wish I didn't because I had no idea how to incorporate it to the story later on. However, since my ideas for this fic has been coming back to me, plus a few new ones, you'll learn, sooner or later, what his master's role is. Now, if only I could come up with a name for him… *sweatdrops*

Author's Note to amora: I'm planning on making a profiles page for all the characters, new and old. =) It'll be posted on my site, along with a few fan art. I'll post the link to it on the next chapter.

Author's Note to ChibiPunker: "_do you think The New Cards will be continued any time soon?_ Well, if you'd like to see the progress of _any_ of my fics, just check out my author profile here at FF.N. =) I post all my updates there and my current progress, etc. However, to answer your question, though I'd love to work on it, I have a really huge writer's block regarding that fic that's stopping me from continuing at the moment.

Author's Note to LiL DreameR: *points to above message* My answer regarding "The New Cards" is there. =)

Author's Note to hannagrace: I sincerely hope my motivation will return to me, but as it is, I still have none… =( A muse, ne? *laughs* Then maybe it is a good thing we don't have any classes together this year. … I'm kidding, I'm kidding!! =x I'd rather the two of us be in the same classes, each pestering the other about writing our fics, than not having even one class together at all…

Author's Note to Sakura Golden Wolf: … HOEEE!!! 

Author's Note to Kitty Meow: *finds herself surrounded by flames and sweatdrops* Hoee! o_O* The one Sakura met wasn't Xiao Lang at all… This complicates things a bit, ne?

Author's Note to Wings of Fire: And just at a depressing point in my life, you cheer me up with what you said. *hugs* Thank you.

Author's Note to Nanali: Well, originally, that's what I thought when I first wrote that summary. But the fic has evolved a great deal since then, so it's hard to say, ne? You never know. =)

Author's Note to chunsa1004: Wing Kay plays a big part in this fic and you'll hear more about her as the fic progresses. As for Shui Ken…besides one other currently living character, I haven't decided if anyone else (major/minor) is going to die or not.

And thank you, Final Fantasy Princess, Janice, seara, blueangel28, Twisted Rose, Ninja09, Sakura Starr, Ti'ana, and everyone else, for reviewing. =) It really, really means a lot to me.

*Sakura   
~The Animé Archives Team


	13. Lost Love

**The Guiding Star**

Lost Love: Chapter Thirteen

By: Sakura

  
"Xiao Lang!" called Sakura from the doorway that afternoon. "I'm going to go downstairs and pay our fee, all right?" Xiao Lang whirled around from where he had been packing their belongings, his intention to stop her, but with a wave, Sakura had already left.

The Chinese Prince resumed packing everything and was done in a matter of moments. They didn't have much after all. With everything in place and ready to go, Xiao Lang took a moment to pause and reflect. He was still relieved that Sakura had returned to her normal, cheerful self. For some reason unknown to him, it made him happy to see her smile genuinely.

Screams and crashes from below suddenly jolted Xiao Lang back to reality. His eyes widened when he remembered that Sakura had gone downstairs. Slinging their packs over his back, he hurried out of the room, hoping he wasn't too late.

The sight of tables overthrown, scattered food and utensils, and people scurrying for cover greeted Xiao Lang. Downstairs, the place was a restaurant while upstairs held lodgings. Frantically scanning the room, he couldn't find Sakura anywhere, causing his anxiety to heighten. Heaving the nearest person to their feet with a tug on the person's collar, the Prince demanded fiercely, "What happened here?"

"I-I'm not sure," sputtered the man uncertainly. "Imperial guards barged in, looking for the Japanese Princess and the traitor P-prince, Xiao Lang. Some g-girl overheard t-them and, and tried to elude them. The guards made a m-mess of the place and t-the girl ran outside, with the guards and t-two people in cloaks f-following." Xiao Lang released the man from his grip and the latter fell to the ground, gasping for breath. Without stopping for an apology, he hurried out of the building, praying that he could reach Sakura in time.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Sakura couldn't understand how this could have happened. They had taken care to cover their tracks, so how had they been found? One moment, she had been paying their fee at the counter, the next moment, imperial guards entered the building, demanded for the Chinese Prince and the Japanese Princess, and finally, she was running away, trying to escape them. She could only hope that nothing happened to Xiao Lang.

"There she is!" she heard someone cry out. Quickening her pace, Sakura turned back to see how far behind her they were when she ran into something…or some_one_. She looked up and found herself being looked down upon by a dark-cloaked stranger. The figure did not say a word. Instead, in one swift movement, he grasped both of Sakura's wrists tight with his left hand, not letting her go. Sakura tried to force him to release her, but to no avail. The person's grip was far too tight. The Princess turned around and gave a small gasp of defeat, to see the Chinese imperial guards surrounding her and the stranger. The chief guard ambled over with a wide smile and Sakura involuntarily stepped back, her back brushing the cloak of her captor.

"Are you one of us?" he asked. "If so, show your symbol."

"I'm not an imperial guard," was all the man said, in a rather indifferent-sounding voice. The guard was a little surprised by his tone.

"In that case," continued the chief, "you will be rewarded handsomely. Hand the girl over to us." Sakura's captor made no movement whatsoever to hand her to him and the chief guard stiffened slightly, his smile still pasted on his face, as he stepped toward them. The stranger took a step back and lunged at the chief guard, pummelling him to the ground with a strong punch from his right fist.

"No one gets her but me," the man said coldly. The chief guard spat the blood out of his mouth and motioned for the rest of the guards to go after him. All of them charged toward the man, only to be knocked down by a second man, falling like a set of dominoes. The second person laughed, his hands resting carelessly on his hips.

"If you're after him, you'll have to deal with me, too," stated the second, also clothed in a dark-coloured cloak, his stance ready for hand-to-hand combat. "Are you sure you can defeat the combined power of Tan Shi Kuang and Yiu San Kong?" he asked cheerfully, in an almost taunting voice. The chief guard stood up, surveying the two newcomers with a glare.

"Don't let the Princess get away," he ordered his guards. All of them nodded in response and rushed back toward the Japanese Princess and the two cloaked strangers. Shi Kuang, Sakura's captor, pulled her to the sidelines before releasing her, and stood before her in a guarded manner. He was determined that no one would get the Princess but him and his comrade.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Running around the town in desperation, a growing crowd caught Xiao Lang's eye and he instantly knew that Sakura would be at the heart of it. Roughly forcing his way through the crowd, he was keeping his eye out for Sakura when he slammed into the back of another person. The man wheeled around angrily and Xiao Lang instantly froze. He was an imperial guard.

The guard studied the Prince for a long time and Xiao Lang found himself tensing, preparing to defend himself if need be. To his surprise, the guard shoved him hard, knocking him off his feet, and said, "Watch where you're going next time." He turned away, mumbling something about stupid farmers and the fifteenth son couldn't budge an inch, only watching the guard go to a few other guards to help rid them of the crowd of people. Quickly slipping away, Xiao Lang couldn't believe what had just happened…that the guard hadn't even recognized him!

It was then that he saw Sakura, standing behind a cloaked person, who apparently was defending her. Xiao Lang didn't recognize this person at all, nor the other cloaked figure fighting the guards a few paces away. Two guards led Shi Kuang away from Sakura, while a third went after her. San Kong tried to warn Shi Kuang of what was happening when Xiao Lang went in instead. With one quick punch to the gut and tripping the man afterward, the Prince easily took out the third guard. Sakura's eyes lit up when she saw him, while Shi Kuang and San Kong exclaimed in surprise at the sight of him. More guards rushed toward the two cloaked men and they were once again distracted. Xiao Lang and Sakura took this opportunity to escape unnoticed by any of the guards, whom were all occupied with either their attackers or the crowd of civilians. When the Prince and Princess disappeared from sight, Shi Kuang and San Kong also withdrew themselves from the battle.

Shi Kuang angrily punched a wall and swore. "It's okay, it's okay," reassured San Kong, giving his friend a pat on the back. "We'll get Sakura eventually. No one can stop us from doing so."

Calmed down somewhat, Shi Kuang leaned heavily against the wall, trying to catch his breath. He hadn't fought that many opponents at once in a long time and wasn't really used to it. "You're right," he muttered. "That Prince can't protect her for long. She'll be ours in no time at all."

~*~*~*~*~*~

"You're sure you're okay?" asked Xiao Lang again. "Those people didn't do anything to you?"

"I'm fine," replied Sakura with a faint smile, "really. But…" she added slowly, looking about them, "we're not going to Fengdu anymore?" Xiao Lang nodded in response.

"It'd be too dangerous to go right now," he said, "with all the guards around. I still don't understand how they could have found us."

The Chinese Prince and Japanese Princess were trailing along the outskirts of Fengdu in the twilight. It was well into the evening now and they were still looking for a new place to lodge for the night. But every place they've approached, there were at least one or two guards stationed there. And to make matters worse, it started to drizzle.

"Look," said Xiao Lang, gesturing at something in the distance, "we can stay in that cave over there, at least until it stops raining." Sakura nodded in agreement, shivering slightly. The pair quickly made their way to the cave and out of the rain. Drying off, they watched as the world was suddenly drenched again in another downpour, but this time, created only by nature. Sakura took a glance at the back of the cave and was surprised to see that it extended far back, its end nowhere in sight. It was more like a tunnel than a cave. A flash of white flitted somewhere back there and she instantly froze, reminded of how Xiao Lang had once called Fengdu the "Ghost City".

Noticing her sudden paleness, Xiao Lang asked her what was the matter. Sakura was still motionless and could only point at the back of the cave, shivering from the thought. The Prince turned to see what she was pointing to, but all he could see was blackness. Instead, he took out a blanket and wrapped it around Sakura's shivering form.

"You're tired, aren't you?" he asked softly. Sakura turned to face him, but didn't answer. "Go to sleep now, all right? Everything will be all right in the morning." She was going to object, but seeing the firmness in Xiao Lang's eyes, decided against it. When Sakura looked back at the end of the cave, whatever it was had completely disappeared. It was probably her imagination, she concluded. Both settled down in the makeshift beds Xiao Lang set out, and soon succumbed to sleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~

An abrupt movement awoke Sakura from her deep slumber and she reluctantly opened her eyes. She nearly cried out in surprise when she found herself face to face with Xiao Lang. He had obviously rolled over in his sleep, his arm resting around her, without even realizing it. Sakura's eyes traveled around his face, taking in his every feature. His short ruffled hair, the warm amber eyes hidden by sleep, and a tiny scar at the base of his neck. The sudden movement had been Xiao Lang unconsciously moving his hand to the back of Sakura's head and pulling her closer to him. His lips were slightly parted and the lone thought that he was going to kiss her raced through her mind. Even though she knew he was asleep and most likely unaware of his actions, Sakura let Xiao Lang draw her nearer and nearer as she closed her eyes, her heart beating wildly. "Prince Xiao Lang," she whispered softly.

"Wing Kay…" answered Xiao Lang in a soft, but hoarse whisper. Sakura's eyes snapped open with surprise and her hand immediately moved up and slapped Xiao Lang hard on the side of his face. At this sudden action, Xiao Lang awoke. "What was that for?" he asked, rather angrily. He looked up and found Sakura sitting up, her eyes staring at her hand. Did she just hit Xiao Lang? How could she? Even if it _was_ an accident… She looked at Xiao Lang and saw him glaring at her, rubbing his cheek with the back of his hand.

"I'm sorry, Prince Li," she said, bowing suddenly. "There was no excuse for my action. But you tried to…" she choked slightly on the word, "kiss me…" Xiao Lang stared at her. He had tried what? He hadn't even realized… "Of course," Sakura added quickly, "you were still asleep so you might not have noticed. It's not your fault."

"Sit up, silly." Sakura didn't budge, but Xiao Lang pushed her up into a seating position. She was afraid to look at him. Slapping a prince…how could she be so stupid? Xiao Lang reached over to her and, taking her chin, turned her head to face him. She was surprised to see him smiling softly. "It's not your fault," he said, letting go of her chin and running his hand through his tangled hair ruefully, "not at all."

"Xiao Lang…" began Sakura rather hesitantly, "who's 'Wing Kay'?" The Prince instantly froze at the mention of the name. For some reason, the girl had kept popping up in his thoughts lately, and unintentionally, at that. The image of a little girl holding out a red peony flashed in his mind.

"She was a girl I was in love with…" There was a wistfulness in his tone that didn't escape Sakura.

"I met her a few months after my mother had died," continued Xiao Lang, staring off into the distance. "Her kindness really hit home with me and she was the first person to make me speak, even without meaning to. She brought the smiles back into my life. But, the problem was, Yu Hong loved her, too."

"How old were you went you met?" asked Sakura, trying to keep her tone light, though she found it hard to say anything at that moment.

"I was eight at the time," answered the Chinese Prince, "and Wing Kay was two years my senior. For the sake of her smile and for her, Yu Hong and I fought over her for nearly seven years." Xiao Lang was shaking his head in disbelief, but he had a light expression on his face. "But then, when I was thirteen, she told us that she had been betrothed to another man by her father long ago." His expression dissolved and was replaced with a rather bitter smile as his hand clenched into a tight fist. "I had been completely crushed by the news… The only girl I had ever loved…belonged to another."

"What happened after?" Sakura asked him gently. She had never seen Xiao Lang like this before. His eyes had never expressed such love as when he spoke of Wing Kay. Also, he had never opened his heart to her like this, ever.

Xiao Lang didn't answer her right away. However, he turned and gave her a smile of relief. "She ran away from home. Of course, it wasn't the most prudent action, but I had loved her so much then, I didn't care at all. She visited me, though, after she left her home, and not Yu Hong. Wing Kay said the one she really loved was me and she wouldn't want to marry someone that wasn't. I can't tell you how happy that made me feel. To know the one I cared for most returned my feelings. And then she walked out of my life forever…" The Prince sat up abruptly.

"I'm sorry, Sakura," he said hastily, blushing furiously with embarrassment, "for rambling on and on like that. You should have stopped me." Sakura was staring at the ground, one hand closed against her chest. It hurt, strangely. Was it because she had learned the one she loved most had given his heart to another completely? Was that why it hurt so much?

The Princess shook her head in response. "That's all right, Xiao Lang," she replied, with a soft smile. "I'm glad you feel that you can confide in me. No one has ever really done that much before." A thought nagged at the back of her mind that she knew someone had once, but she couldn't really place who it could have been. Was it Yukito? Her left hand immediately touched a ring on her right finger, subtly so that Xiao Lang wouldn't notice. But everything Yukito told her, he had also told her brother, since they were best friends. It wasn't always to her alone.

"I'm glad," said Xiao Lang with a laugh for relief. "I thought you'd be mad at me." He smiled at her again. "I'd hate to make you angry." Was it just him or did the Prince notice that his smiles had become more frequent? Upon reflection, Xiao Lang realized that his smiles were always because of Sakura…

A low, whispering wail suddenly echoed softly in the cave, gesturing to the pair. Xiao Lang immediately leapt to his feet, his hand reaching for his sword. Turning to Sakura, he told her, "I'm going to go check that out. Stay here, okay?" Sakura nodded mutely, staring with wide eyes at the back of the tunnel.

"Be careful," she whispered, as he slowly crept to the back. Soon he disappeared from sight. Sakura shuddered involuntarily as the sound was made again, seeming to surround her, and she curled up into a little ball, drawing her legs to her chest. It felt so ghastly and the thought that it could be a real ghost scared Sakura out of her mind. Again, the "Ghost City" statement by Xiao Lang popped into her mind.

Out from the darkness of the tunnel floating a small white figure and Sakura gasped aloud, her thoughts in a state of frenzy. What was this? And what had happened to Xiao Lang? The figure tilted her head to the side when she saw Sakura, and she pushed her long, wispy white hair over her shoulder. The Princess continued to step back, trying to distance herself from the ghost, and tripped over a rock, crashing into the wall and sliding painfully down to the ground. Slowly opening her eyelids and trying to clear the dizziness, Sakura found herself staring face-to-face with the strange ghost. She was kneeling before her, gazing at Sakura with deep concern in her eyes. Her hands were resting gently on Sakura's knees.

"You're not hurt, are you?" she asked, in a sweet voice, her tone filled with concern.

"Who…who are you?" Sakura murmured, blinking at the girl. She always thought ghosts had cold, grisly hands, but the girl's hands were warm and strangely comforting.

"I'm…" began the girl. She suddenly stopped. "I don't have a name."

"You don't have a name?" repeated Sakura, astonished. "Then…then I'll give you one!" she declared a little rashly. The girl stared at her wordlessly. "No one should be without a name," smiled Sakura. Her fear of ghosts seemed to have vanished. Because, to Sakura, this girl didn't feel like the ghosts she dreaded, but a friend. "Hmm," said Sakura, thoughtfully tapping her chin, "I don't know much about Chinese names, but how about Chu Ling?"

"Chu Ling" jumped up and threw her arms around Sakura in a hug. "Thank you," she cried. "No one has ever cared whether I had a name or not." Sakura smiled and hugged her in return, briefly wondering again if that meant her fear of ghosts had completely disappeared or not. Chu Ling suddenly shivered. "Isn't this place rather spooky?" she asked the Japanese Princess, as she peered around the shadows. "I don't know what I'd do if there were ghosts around."

Startled, Sakura turned and stared at her. "But aren't you-"

"Sakura!"

The Princess immediately stood up-but fell over instantly. The moment she placed her right foot on the ground was when she lost her balance. She had twisted her ankle when she tripped earlier, and, at the moment, she couldn't even stand up. "Are you okay? Are you okay?" asked Chu Ling worriedly, her hands clasped over Sakura's. Sakura nodded, but with a slight grimace.

"I'm fine," she gasped, clutching her right leg, "but my ankle…"

Footsteps echoed throughout the cave as someone came running toward them. When Xiao Lang reached the place the pair sat, he paused and tried to catch his breath, relieved to see Sakura okay. He had heard her scream not so long ago and hurried back as quickly as he could. But the moment he saw Chu Ling, he suddenly stiffened, his grip on his unsheathed sword also tightening.

"Get away from her, Sakura," he yelled at her. Sakura blinked in surprise and turned to look at Chu Ling. The look of surprise on the latter's face mirrored her own. Seeing neither of them moving from their position, Xiao Lang swiftly advanced and struck a blow at Chu Ling. However, she disappeared just as he struck, and materialized a few feet behind him.

"Why did you do that?" asked Chu Ling, her lip trembling slightly in fear as she eyed the sword the Prince wielded.

"Because," Xiao Lang answered in a low voice, "I won't let anyone harm Sakura, not even a ghost." Sakura shakily stood up, using the cave wall as support.

"Ghost?" repeated Chu Ling in confusion. "But I'm not-" Xiao Lang ignored her and continued to advance. But, before he could take another step, someone tackled him from behind. He turned to see who it was.

"Sakura!" he cried. "What are you doing?" Sakura sat up, wincing slightly from the fall.

"Just listen to her," pleaded Sakura. "I don't think she's bad at all. If she was, she had all those chances to hurt me before you returned, but she never did."

"It could be a trap," reasoned Xiao Lang, but Sakura shook her head stubbornly, refusing to believe such a thing.

"Sakura…" whispered Chu Ling softly. All of a sudden, she began to glow a creamy-white shade. Sakura's pendant also glowed the same shade. Both Prince and Princess looked at "Chu Ling" in amazement. "I'm not a ghost," she said softly, "but an elemental spirit of the rings, with the ability of the wind flowing within me." She took off a ring from her finger and held it before Sakura's star pendant. "I would be happy to have you as my masters, like the water spirit." The star in the pendant spun like the last time with the water ring and the tiny white wings spread as the key appeared. A keyhole formed on the side of the ring and the key locked it, the ring's spirit vanishing from sight.

Xiao Lang caught the newly sealed ring when it fell and he stared at it momentarily. "I'm sorry," he murmured quietly and the ring flashed once, acknowledging his words.

"That means we only have three more to find," said Sakura excitedly. "At this rate, your mission will be complete in no time. Hmm…" she tacked on thoughtfully, "But I wonder what happens when we find them all, Prince Xiao Lang…" Xiao Lang realized that he hadn't even considered that, thinking only of finding them in the first place.

"But no matter what," he thought to himself, "I'm not letting anything happen to Sakura. I always want her to stay by my side." He held a hand out to her while Sakura looked at it questioningly. "You hurt your leg, right?" he asked aloud. "Let's see what we can do to fix it up."

"Hai!" she responded cheerfully. "Please let me stay by your side, Prince Xiao Lang," thought Sakura, as the Prince helped her up, "you're the only one I want to be with…"

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Those two idiots…" muttered Chi Yuen in annoyance. "Do they think that it will always be this easy? Hmph!" He kicked sand over his fire, putting it out, and donned his cloak as he sent one more gaze in the direction of Xiao Lang and Sakura's cave. "I think it's about time I formally introduced myself to you, Xiao Lang," he murmured, a smirk on his face. He had never forgotten about the time they had first met just two years ago, when he had killed Xiao Lang's master, unintentionally before the stricken eyes of the Chinese Prince.

  
Author's Note: From the majority of the comments made for the last chapter, I take it that not very many people were pleased with the twist of events… o_O Gomen ne, but that's what happened…

@_@ *gets dizzy and collapses* Hoe… All these new/original characters… I don't have all the profiles up yet…only started writing them…but I will let you know when they're up…

Sakura = huge procrastinator, sadly

So…a few things were "revealed", like the identity of the person that killed Xiao Lang's master and a bit on Wing Kay's background. Those two "cloaked" people will need more info, ne? ^_^ It'll all come in due time… I've got quite a few ideas up my sleeve. ^_~

My math exam for summer school is coming up. It's going to be on Tuesday, so I won't have time to work on this again until after that day.

Author's Note to chibiookamigirl: Who's "she"? Me? I'm sorry if you feel it was wasted. But I really don't like making stories too predictable to the readers… It's really no fun if you know exactly what's going to happen. Who would bother to read that, right?

Author's Note to star: As was mentioned before, Shui Ken was _very_ insecure and would go to any lengths to secure what he wants. There's good and bad in an attitude like that.

Author's Note to LiL DreameR: Hoe? *fails to see the "icky-ness" in it* At least it's something different, ne? ^_~

Author's Note to Snowdazed: *hugs* Arigato gozaimashita, Snowdazed-san. And who said anything about Xiao Lang dying? A little soon, ne? Since I have enough ideas to cover at least another ten chapters… ^_^ See you around Star Boards!

Author's Note to Satine: Eh, nani? So you figured out it was Shui Ken? Out of curiosity, how did you figure out it would be him, of all people?

Author's Note to Nanali: Ano… *sweatdrops* This fic isn't finished yet - nowhere close, in fact… *gives Nanali-san a reassuring pat on the back* Don't start worrying about anything until I'm ready to end this fic…and with all the ideas I have, it won't be ending anytime soon… =)

Author's Note to Shi-Chan: The number of sons… *sweatdrops* I know the number is around eighteen or nineteen, however, I've only come up with names for the first fifteen (up to Xiao Lang)…*more sweatdrops* Um, I'll just give you the names to the first fifteen, okay? ^_^ Chi Shing (1), Shuk Yue (2), Tsai Fang (3), Hon Chung (4), Kim Tang (5), Kiu Kwong (6), Poon Shek (7), Pao Fung (8), Shui Ken (9), Shum Yee (10), Khai Ming (11), Wing Kuen (12), Yuan Loon (13), Zhu Quan (14), and Xiao Lang (15). For the majority of the sons, I've noted briefly of what they are doing during the fic (in my own notes, of course), which I'll post along with their profiles when I write them. =) The profiles would help a lot with characters that aren't mentioned much or don't have a big role. Oh, and of course, that doesn't mean the Emperor never had any daughters or anything. ^_~ (And since I mentioned a few, that means he did have them. ^_^) It's just a) they weren't _that_ important, compared to the sons, during that time period, and b) if I recall correctly, they were never "numbered" the way the sons were. Also, isn't it a good thing I'm not very good at writing mush, sap, fluff, etc? ^_^

Author's Note to hannagrace: A command? Yes, ma'am! *straightens up and salutes* ^_^ *then drops and falls asleep on her keyboard…* -_- So tired… *laughs* Did I _really_ bang on the cafe table? I suppose I do when I'm very frustrated about stuff…and you and I both know how bad May and June were… *was so scared out of her wits* What with ISUs, ISPs, presentations, essays, projects, tests, quizzes, homework, accounting contest, music concert, exams… *gets dizzy at the thought* @_@ Now that I have summer school…

Author's Note to Evil's toughpreacher: Uwaa~~ You know so much about Chinese history. o_O Gomen ne, that it doesn't follow that closely to the true history… I still have a lot of research to do, it seems… *sighs* But with oh-so-little time~ -_-* =Þ Thanks for your help, however. ^_^

Author's Note to Alrim: Other qualities? Oro? Wah~ now you're making me worried. ;_; Where did I go wrong? -_-

Author's Note to Meruru: Why haven't I updated? Well, it's all thanks to that wonderful thing we all call school. -_-* Grade eleven is my second last year in high school and it was pretty tough this year. (Ne, Hanna-chan?) Exams nearly killed me. x_x Ah, well, it's finally updated now, ne? ^_^ Now I have to get cracking on my other fics. o_O

And thanks to Lonely Tenshi, Final Fantasy Princess, Silver-Cherry, Karamel, Syaoran-and-Sakura, chunsa1004, CCSobsession, Articuno, nicole, FGWeezeyLuva, rosie, Story Writer, Deborah, Gen, Little Wolf LOVER, Kitty Meow, Pochacco, Lexi, somebody, Elley, and everyone else for your reviews!

*Sakura   
~The Animé Archives Team


	14. Mysteries Deepen

**The Guiding Star**

Mysteries Deepen: Chapter Fourteen

By: Sakura

  
"This is becoming a bad habit, Princess," San Kong commented cheerfully, as he plucked Sakura out of the crowd of guards and civilians and deposited her safely on a roof. "This is the third time we've had to 'rescue' you."

"Thank you again, San Kong," said Sakura with a slight bow. "But where's Prince Xiao Lang and Shi Kuang?" San Kong gestured to where his friend and the Chinese Prince were fighting off the guards, swords drawn. They watched the other's back and fended off the growing number of guards. Shi Kuang cursed under his breath as more guards appeared around the corner. Xiao Lang suddenly looked up and saw that Sakura was already out of harm's way. He quickly leapt to the roof, with Shi Kuang following suit. But the moment the Prince reached Sakura's side, he immediately shielded her from the two masked figures.

"Don't worry," laughed San Kong through his usual mask, "we don't need the Princess just yet. So you better be more careful in taking care of her."

"However," interjected Shi Kuang in a curt voice. This was the first time Xiao Lang had heard him speak and just the tone of his voice made him feel a little warier than before. "When we come back for her, _Prince_," with pointed emphasis on the word, "we're going to take her from you."

"You can try," answered Xiao Lang coldly, "however, I can ensure you that you will never succeed." Shi Kuang stood silently, facing the Prince as if he were glaring at him. But San Kong tugged lightly on the former's sleeve and they both turned and left, hopping off the roof, down to the alleys below. "What could they possibly want with Sakura?" Xiao Lang wondered silently, as his right arm encircled around Sakura's waist and he carried her down to the street level.

"Damn him," muttered Shi Kuang, as he took off his mask and wiped the sweat from his brow. "That guy keeps getting in our way." He pulled his hood off as well, and the cloak. It'd be easier to blend in with the crowd when they weren't dressed in such a fashion.

"I told you not to worry," San Kong reassured him. "We'll definitely get her." He took off his mask and stared at it. Painted on it was a face that was forever smiling, something San Kong just couldn't do all the time, as much as he wanted to. Shi Kuang could see the sudden seriousness in his companion's eyes and knew exactly what he was thinking about as he looked at his own mask. The face on the mask mirrored his own in expression, the serious atmosphere that constantly surrounded him. Their masks both hid and revealed the same answers. "We'll get her for sure," repeated San Kong, "and not even that Prince can stop us."

~*~*~*~*~*~

In the fortnight since the wind spirit had been sealed and the pair had left Fengdu, Shui Ken's guards had been hot on their trail. With Sakura's ankle still healing, it made their chances to escape just that much more difficult. That was the fourth time they were nearly captured and three out of those four times they had been assisted by Shi Kuang and San Kong. And Xiao Lang still couldn't figure out exactly why they were after Sakura.

"With my brother's guards constantly interfering," he grumbled as he punched the trunk of a tree in irritation, "we're never going to have enough time to complete this mission." Sakura placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder and the Prince felt his frustration draining away. "Come on," he said finally, half-heartedly. "We'll try to find a place to stay for the night."

Both of them were rather surprised to find an unguarded inn on the outskirts of the town. Wearily, they entered it together and were greeted by a lone boy, who was wiping the tables and putting the chairs on top of them. His long charcoal hair was braided like all other boys and his midnight blue eyes were both warm and friendly when he greeted them.

"You two look tired," he said in a cheerful manner, "do you need a room for the night? We still have one left." Before either could answer, the boy called to someone from the back. "Father, we have two guests!" Another friendly face appeared at the back doorway, the boy's father. He looked to be in his mid-fifties, with dark greying hair and a short beard.

"Please follow me," gestured the older man with a gentle smile, the innkeeper. Before Xiao Lang had even taken a step, the boy swept Sakura off her feet and carried her in his arms. At this sudden action, Sakura's face turned completely scarlet. Noticing the Prince staring at him, the boy said easily, "Your friend looks like she can't walk very well and your arms are full of your own things." He flashed him a disarming smile. "Don't worry, I promise to take good care of her." Xiao Lang bit his lip, not knowing how to counter the other boy's words. So he was left to fume silently as he followed the boy, without even knowing fully why he was annoyed at what the boy had done. Reaching their room, the boy gently deposited Sakura in a chair.

"Thank you," she said, granting him a soft smile. Xiao Lang clenched his fist tight, trying to will himself to ignore what was going on. The boy blushed a bit and bowed to her once, but cast an odd glance in the Prince's direction that the latter hadn't seen. Both he and his father bowed again and turned to leave when Sakura added, to the boy, "By the way, what is your name?"

The boy paused at the doorway and smiled to himself. "It's Chen Chi Yuen," he answered quietly.

"I'll remember that," Xiao Lang spoke suddenly, his voice strangely cold and aloof.

A smirk slipped onto Chi Yuen's face. "You make sure of that," was his only reply, before he turned and left with his father, Xiao Lang watching him leave. The Chinese Prince didn't know why, but he felt he just couldn't trust that other guy. There was a strange aura that surrounded him…

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Promise you'll be careful?" asked Sakura as she clipped Wing Kuen's braid to Xiao Lang's short hair. "Maybe I shouldn't stay here."

"Don't worry about me," he replied, as he placed a farmer's hat on his head. "I'm only checking out the area," Xiao Lang said softly, gently cradling Sakura's cheek in his hand, "and I just want you to stay here and rest your ankle." He moved his hand to pat her head lightly and left out the window. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door that froze Sakura. Who could possibly want something from her? And with Xiao Lang gone…

"It's only me," said the voice from the other side of the door, "please let me in." Sakura breathed a sigh of relief when she recognized the voice to be Chi Yuen's. "Hello," greeted Chi Yuen with a kind smile, when Sakura opened the door for him, directly settling down at the small table in the middle of the room. Sakura joined him at the table, as well. He looked around the room, slightly puzzled. "Where's Xiao Lang?"

"Um…" mumbled Sakura, suddenly unsure of what to say. How was she to explain the Prince's sudden absence? But before she could think of an answer, she immediately wondered how Chi Yuen could know Xiao Lang's name!

"I've heard of him and he matched the description given," Chi Yuen answered her unasked question. Sakura's eyes went wide when she turned to face him. How had he known…what she was thinking? And for him to have heard of Xiao Lang, the "traitor" Prince… "If you're thinking of the order for his capture," said Chi Yuen quietly, "and the order for your own, Princess, that's not where I heard about him." He smiled disarmingly and added, "I would never turn you in." The Sakura suddenly let go of the breath she didn't know she was holding, her hand clutched tight on her clothes.

"Why would you do that for us?" she asked in a small voice. "You don't even know us that well."

"Because I like you, Princess," he replied with a grin. At Sakura's widened eyes, Chi Yuen chuckled slightly. "No, not that way," he protested. "I just think you're an incredibly strong person to have survived through so much, with the war and your way of living now."

Chi Yuen's kindness touched Sakura in a way she never felt before. But for some reason, it didn't give her the same warmth she received from Xiao Lang's gentleness. There was an odd coldness in his eyes. "Everything," she thought to herself, "is all really thanks to Xiao Lang…" Sakura was suddenly brought back to reality when she realized Chi Yuen was still talking. Strangely, his face was suddenly serious.

"…really have to, Princess," he said, in a rather urgent voice. "You must leave Xiao Lang!"

"B-but, why?" stuttered Sakura in her confusion. What on earth was he talking about?

"This Chinese Prince, Xiao Lang…I've heard about him," said Chi Yuen, with conviction, "and I don't want you to get hurt. This guy…he doesn't care about you at all! He only wants your powers and your assistance. He'll leave you the second he considers something more important than his mission comes up." He had already stood up and had his hands clasped tight on Sakura's arms, shaking her slightly. "Please, Princess, please leave him!"

Sakura was completely silent at his words, not sure of how to respond to them. Her hands were clenched into fists and she realized she was trembling slightly. He was wrong - he had to be! Xiao Lang…he wasn't that kind of person! She relaxed and unclenched her fists, her mind clear. "I don't know who told you this," she said quietly, looking down, "but they're evidently wrong. Xiao Lang isn't like that at all. I'm sure of it…" When she brought her gaze up to face Chi Yuen, she could see the obvious disapproval in his eyes.

"Well," he said, rather coldly, "when the time comes that proves me correct about him, I promise that I won't say 'I told you so'." Without another word, he turned around and left the room abruptly. Sakura sank into her chair, shaking slightly. What was that all about? Just where had Chi Yuen heard all these things about Xiao Lang? He acted as if he had known him really well…

~*~*~*~*~*~

The prospect of not seeing a single one of Shui Ken's guards made Xiao Lang feel a little suspicious. He didn't expect to see the whole area crawling with guards or anything, but the fact that it was a little too quiet made him somewhat uneasy. He continued to walk along the edge of the forest when something suddenly caught his eye. The path…it was dotted with blood. The Prince bent down to take a closer look and tentatively reached out to touch the blood. He was surprised to see it hadn't dried yet. By the looks of it, it seemed something had been killed and dragged along the path. Cautiously following the trail, Xiao Lang's eyes widened when he found the blood's source. It was from one of Shui Ken's guards, lying sprawled on the grass. He hurried to the man's side and turned him over. The guard was already dead. His body was riddled with many wounds and it was evident he was stabbed to death, for a small blade was fixed over the man's heart.

But when Xiao Lang took in this entire sight, he realized that there was something else attached to the blade: a small piece of paper. Looking around and not seeing anyone around, he carefully took out the knife from the man's body and unfolded the paper.

"_Prince Li Xiao Lang,_" began the letter. "_How do you like this? It's a comfort knowing you have one less man after your life, isn't it?_" Xiao Lang's hand clenched angrily. Was this some kind of joke? Who was this person?

"_If you don't know who I am, then I'm rather disappointed with you. However, I can't say I'm not surprised. But, I think this little hint will remind you immediately. Just think of two things: Shibaozhai by the Yangtze River on a warm day with the sun setting, and 'Li Yao Liang'._" The Chinese Prince nearly dropped the letter. How had this person known the name of his master? And the place he had been murdered…? "_That's right, it's me, Xiao Lang, the person that killed Li Yao Liang. It's nice to recall the good old times, isn't it? I'd just love to see the look on your face right now, but it's too bad that I'm too far away now for you to do that. Then I'll tell you that tomorrow's your lucky day. How would you like this chance to finally defeat me? That is, if you're strong enough. But somehow, I doubt that. Meet me in the same place and time you last saw Yao Liang alive, at the Shibaozhai, since it's not very far from here. I'm sure you've never forgotten that place, since you've visited it so many times after your Master's death._" A chance to avenge his deceased Master…he would finally be able to enact his revenge on this person? He had yearned for this for so many years…

"_However, I have one little reminder for you,_" the letter continued. "_You mustn't tell anyone where you're going and why. Otherwise, you can say goodbye to your little Japanese friend. I assure you that giving her a death like this guard before you is quite easy for me to do, even if she is a girl. So if you want her alive, not a single word. This is your last chance, for I'll never seek you out like this ever again. If you want to relieve those feelings of anger in your heart toward me, make sure you show up. And be quick about it, because I really hate to be kept waiting. Until then, don't forget your hatred._"

The letter slipped from Xiao Lang's fingers and landed next to the dead man. The note had thrown him completely off guard. His mission for the Elders had slipped to the back of his mind as he hurried back to the inn and the only thought in his mind was about Yao Liang and his murderer. "I'm sorry," he murmured under his breath. It wasn't that he felt sorry for a guard that was after him and Sakura, but it didn't feel right to see another man's life end in such a brutal manner for no particular reason. Swiftly climbing up the pole to the second floor and moving to the windowsill of his room, Xiao Lang was about to slip in when he found himself face to face with Sakura. She had chosen that particular moment to open the window and was as surprised as he was at seeing each other like that. His anger slipped away momentarily as they held each other's gaze.

"Oh!" cried Sakura, as she suddenly remembered he was hanging off the windowsill. Xiao Lang smiled gratefully when she moved away from the window, blushing with embarrassment. She could feel her heart beating really quickly. "How is it outside?" she asked him, not turning around.

"Huh?" mumbled Xiao Lang, half-listening. "Oh, you mean the guards? There's none around here at all…" his voice trailing off, remembering the murdered guard he found not so long ago. Sakura cast a sidelong glance at Xiao Lang. He seemed to be keeping something from her, as if he didn't want her to know. Chi Yuen's words from the earlier afternoon came to her mind again, but she brushed them aside. Xiao Lang was not like the former had said.

For some unknown reason, there was an odd silence between them. Neither said a word other than what was necessary. They weren't exactly uncomfortable in each other's presence, but neither knew how to say what was on their mind. Sakura was still trying to dispel Chi Yuen's words in her mind. They were really begin to bother her and causing her to doubt her thoughts about Xiao Lang. Xiao Lang's mind was occupied with his own thoughts of Yao Liang, and the times they spent together, before he died. He knew that he was not supposed to have witnessed his Master's death and lived, but before he had passed away, Yao Liang still managed to save his student from suffering the same fate. However, when his last few memories of Yao Liang had disappeared, he realized that other thoughts still occupied his mind. The thoughts of the present…like the girl that sat before him… And Xiao Lang knew he couldn't keep it from Sakura, the events from that afternoon.

"Sakura," he started, facing her, at the same time Sakura said, "Xiao Lang…" They both looked at each other and suddenly laughed. The tension melted between the two of them and they both relaxed, talking normally again, though, neither of them ever mentioned what they were really thinking about to each other.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Quietly placing his own things into a small pack, Xiao Lang glanced around the room, looking to see if there was anything else he needed. His gaze landed on the still sleeping Sakura, and wondered how long it would be before he saw her again. He resolved at that moment to make sure not to take longer than a few days, since he promised her that he'd be with her. Still…one couldn't be sure…

He really didn't want to disappear like this without telling Sakura. But he made sure to leave behind enough money for Sakura to stay there for at least another fortnight. "I promise to return soon," murmured Xiao Lang under his breath, as he lightly traced her cheek with his finger. He silently slipped out through the window and into the night.

~*~*~*~*~*~

With the first rays of the sun peeking through the window, the shadows created by them danced around Sakura as she slowly opened her eyes and stretched. She had a peaceful, dreamless sleep. Looking around, she wondered briefly where Xiao Lang had was when she remembered that he always chose to sleep on the ground when they stayed at an inn, despite Sakura's objections. But, at the moment, Sakura didn't mind. That time in the cave…it had been far too close. Her eyes clouded slightly, remembering Wing Kay, but she cleared her mind and decided to worry about the matters at hand, rather than the events of the past. Getting up from the bed, she said, "Ohayo…" The greeting died on her lips when she realized that Xiao Lang wasn't there, that she was, in fact, alone in the room. Still, Sakura didn't let this worry her. Xiao Lang often went out alone. It was nothing like Chi Yuen said. He wouldn't leave her at all. But it was weird that she couldn't see any of his belongings present in the room.

Changing quickly, Sakura quietly slipped out of her room and went downstairs. Sometimes she hid in a dark corner and listened to see if any news from the palace arrived. Strangely, no guards ever appeared there, and deep down, it made her feel a little uneasy, even if she told herself it was a good thing. But customers of the restaurant and the inn always seemed to be buzzing with news about the palace and the hunt for the traitor Prince. And it gave Sakura something to do while Xiao Lang was away.

However, it was oddly silent as Sakura crept unnoticed down the stairs. The tables for the restaurant were empty, sans the usual customers that came. Instead, the only people down there, aside from Sakura, were Chi Yuen and his father. Moving a little closer to where they were standing behind the counter, but hidden behind the wall, she was slightly startled to realize they were talking about her and Xiao Lang.

"…why did he leave, father?" Chi Yuen was asking him, as he wiped the tables clean. His father was also working on his daily duties, wiping the teacups dry.

"Didn't say what was the reason," shrugged the innkeeper. "Only that he said he would pay two weeks in advance for the room, so that girl could stay here. Personally, I think it's terrible that he's leaving a girl here all alone. It isn't safe like this for her." Sakura moved her hands up to cover her mouth in horror. Xiao Lang…he really left her? Without even a word to say where he was going? Sure, she knew he always went places, but then again, he always used to tell her before he left. This time, he had gone without saying anything, but because he wanted to leave her? There…there was no way… Xiao Lang couldn't possibly… Sakura quickly fled up the stairs toward her room.

"…but you'll take care of her, right, Chi Yuen?" continued the innkeeper. His son nodded vigorously.

"Of course, father," Chi Yuen answered enthusiastically, with a bright smile. "Of course," he repeated quietly to himself, an odd glint in his eyes.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Sakura slowly sank into a chair. So Xiao Lang really had left… All of his things were gone. Every little thing that belonged to him… The only thing he had left behind was money, probably to pay the innkeeper for her food and stay just for a little while. Chi Yuen's words came to her mind again, and played over and over… "He doesn't care about you at all! He only wants your powers and your assistance. He'll leave you the second he considers something more important than his mission comes up." How could such a thing be true?

"Xiao Lang…" she whispered softly to herself, "you have a good reason, right? Then…" A tear slowly rolled down her cheek. "Then why couldn't you tell me?" Sakura wiped it away with her sleeve and willed herself not to cry, but she couldn't erase the hurt she felt in her heart. She felt rather betrayed by him, the one she trusted the most in this world. As she was about to get up from her seat, she found a dagger pointed at her throat.

"Make one wrong move and you're dead," the voice told her. Sakura instantly froze. She thought she had been alone in the room, but realized, that in her haste to find Xiao Lang, she had left the door open. The man roughly pushed her to her feet, but knocked her over instead. Looking up, the Japanese Princess found herself surrounding by three men, all guards for the Chinese Prince, Li Shui Ken. The first guard, that had spoken, grinned rather threateningly.

"We've finally caught up with this little runaway Princess, haven't we?" he said, casting the rhetorical question to his fellow comrades. "Let me tell you," he said to Sakura, squatting down to her level, "you were a pain to chase. Know how we found you?" Sakura decided not to answer him and didn't even look at him when he spoke. But the guard roughly used his hand and, holding the side of her face, forced her to look at him. "We knew you wouldn't voluntarily choose a place that obviously had guards around, so we rented rooms in various inns around the town, in case you were to show up." The other guards were chuckling at the cleverness of their idea. He released her and Sakura obstinately turned away from him again, rubbing her cheek.

A second guard laughed, grinning wildly. "It's a good thing we chose this place," he chortled, "the Prince is sure to give us a high reward for this one." But the third looked more doubtful.

"But where has that traitor Prince gone?" he asked. "I think we'd get a better reward if we had both of them."

"Did you forget?" interjected the second. "We purposely waited until he left. We retrieve her first, then use her to lure him back. He's sure to return if this Princess is captured."

"If you're finished talking," interrupted the first guard, a touch of impatience in his tone, "it's time we brought this girl back with us." He reached toward Sakura, but she slapped his hand away. He laughed, but grabbed her arm, more firmly this time. Sakura knew that attempting to shake the hand away would have no effect and desperately wished she wasn't in such a helpless position. But there was nothing that she could actually do. "Let's get going," he ordered the other two guards, holding onto his captive tight with one arm, trapping her between his arm and him, as he dragged the girl along. Sakura closed her eyes, almost willing for this to be nothing but a bad dream when the guards suddenly paused. Opening her eyelids, she saw Chi Yuen standing at the doorway, right arm outstretched, as if to block the guards' way.

"If you want her," he said coldly, "you'll have to go through me first." The first guard raised a disinterested eyebrow and motioned for one of the other guards to take care of him. The second one smiled callously, drawing his sword, and slashing at him. Chi Yuen immediately crumpled to the ground, unmoving. Sakura's hand flew to her mouth in shock. Chi Yuen had just been…

"That was too easy," muttered the third as the second guard sheathed his sword and they both turned back to the first and the Princess. "I didn't even have a chance to do anything." He suddenly paused as he found a dagger pointed at his chest. Looking up, he found himself face to face with Chi Yuen, who was smirking at him.

"You're right," he said coolly into his ear, lightly tracing the dagger on the lining of the guard's clothes. The guard froze in place as he watched the other boy, a sinking feeling that he was only playing with him, "it _is_ too easy…and you'll never have a chance to do anything." His grip tightened suddenly on the blade handle and he forced it into the other man, killing him instantly.

Withdrawing his dagger from the guard, blood lightly splattered on Chi Yuen as the body fell forward. Sakura's hand flew to her mouth in horror and saw, with wide eyes, that Chi Yuen was shaking. 

"I…I just killed someone…" he mumbled in complete shock. He took a shaky step back, but tripped and hit the ground instead, still staring at the body of the man he had just killed. The second guard was also shaking. But while Chi Yuen's had been from shock, the guard's was in anger.

"You bastard!" he cried, lunging at the younger boy, his sword in hand still. He had aimed for his heart, but in his blind rage of fury, the blade plunged into Chi Yuen's shoulder instead and he recoiled from the pain as it cut his skin, reeling back. But in self-defense, he slashed out with his own dagger and accidentally struck the guard across the chest, killing him as well. The latter fell against him, which Chi Yuen pushed away with his legs, at the same time, wrenching the sword from his left shoulder. Blood spurted from his wound, running down his arm and drenching his sleeve.

The first guard stared at his fallen comrades in shock. With him distracted, Chi Yuen painfully stood up, his right hand pressing against his shoulder wound, trying to make it stop, and ambled to Sakura's side. He pulled her from the other's grasp and was out of reach when the guard, coming to, made a grab at her. He moved back to the guard and cuffed him hard, knocking him into the wall, watching as the man somersaulted backwards.

"Let's go," Chi Yuen murmured through gritted teeth, looking pretty faint from the blood he lost. "We'll get my father…he can take care of him." Sakura nodded and moved to help him out when he pushed her forward, urging her to go first. She hurried down the stairs quickly to find his father. Chi Yuen settled down on the top step of the stairs and was waiting when the first guard appeared at his shoulder.

"There you are," said the guard, wiping the blood from his lip. "You're going to pay for what you did to them, and to me."

"Really?" Chi Yuen asked. There was a trace of amusement in his tone and no one would ever have guessed he had been injured. He sounded as strong and arrogant as ever. "Would you like to avenge your fourth comrade as well? The one who went missing just yesterday? I can tell you now that I made sure he never returned." The guard's eyes practically bulged in anger.

"That was you?" he demanded, chest swelling in anger. "Just who are you??"

"It _was_ me," Chi Yuen answered, still smiling. He got up and turned around, an odd glint in his eye. "And my name is Chen Chi Yuen. Remember it before you leave this world." Without a blink of an eye, the guard was lying motionless on the ground, impaled by his own sword, and Chi Yuen was calmly walking away.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Sakura was getting frantic, for she couldn't find Chi Yuen's father anywhere at all. It was also rather strange that the entire dining area was devoid of any customers still, even though it was approaching early afternoon. She went outside to take a look and found Chi Yuen next to a well, trying to draw water, but clutching his wound at the same time. Not even wondering how he got down there without her noticing, Sakura hurried to his side to help him.

"Are you okay?" he managed to gasp out.

"I'm perfectly fine," Sakura answered hurriedly, "but I wasn't able to find your father at all, Chi Yuen, and-" She paused when Chi Yuen held up a hand, gesturing her to stop.

"Don't worry about the guards anymore," he told her quietly. "They've been taken care of. The last one fell on his own sword before he could kill me… But…" Chi Yuen suddenly released the pail of water and turned to Sakura, his appearance very pale and his countenance one of fright. "I…I killed someone…" he muttered, his bloodstained hands clutching her shoulders. "Not just one person either…" He seemed close to the breaking point. Sakura had no idea what to say to him. Often, when she and Xiao Lang crossed paths with guards, he had never really killed any of them. San Kong and Shi Kuang were the same. Their hands were never stained with blood the same way Chi Yuen's was… An urgent tug on her sleeve brought Sakura back to reality. "Where's Xiao Lang, Sakura?" he asked. "Why wasn't he here to protect you?"

The Princess didn't answer him - couldn't. After all he told her about Xiao Lang and all she said to defend him, Chi Yuen had been right after all. Xiao Lang had left her. Chi Yuen seemed to understand what had happened and when Sakura opened her mouth to tell him, he simply placed a finger near her lips, stopping her from saying it. He wrapped his arms around her small form, staining her clothes with blood.

"Why don't you come with me?" he whispered quietly into her ear. "I promise to protect you from those guards. I won't let any of them get you. You'll be far safer by my side than Xiao Lang's." Sakura didn't answer again. Instead, she pulled herself away from Chi Yuen, forced him to sit down on the ground, and was drawing up a pail of water. Silently, she tore off strips from the sleeves of her shirt and carefully cleaned Chi Yuen's shoulder wound, bandaging it at once. Chi Yuen also remained silent and completely still. When she finished, neither said anything. He believed he had said enough. Finally, Sakura nodded mutely. Maybe it was best to just leave. Xiao Lang had just left her, without any explanation, without any reason. And without turning back, Sakura agreed to go with Chi Yuen, a person who had managed to secure her trust in a very short time.

Chi Yuen couldn't believe how easy it was. It wasn't at all difficult to take advantage of her naïveté for her kindness made her far too soft. Everything was beginning to fall into place for him…

  
Author's Note: This was another "longer than usual" chapter. What do I mean by that? You see, most of my "chapter" fics have a set number of lines. TNC is 375 – 400 and TGS is 200 – 225 (in times new roman, size ten font). However, this chapter has already exceeded four hundred lines, double than usual. o_O Not to mention that this chapter was actually supposed to include more than it did. -_-* But that stuff will be pushed to the next chapter…

I'm so happy my ideas are coming back. However, in my spare time, I've only been spinning Yuugiou and Shaman King fics in my head, so I have to push that out and get back to CCS. =Þ But I still love Yuugiou and Shaman King so much~~ I've been having so much making scanslations of Yuugiou for my site and making plans for my next Shaman King cosplay. ^_^

My new "fic updates" page has been moved to I found it was making my author profile a little too long. ^_^*

Author's Note to Shirahana: When I learned how to read Furigana, I realized the proper pronounciation/romaji for Syaoran no okaasama was "Ieran". Since I had translated "Ye Lan" from Chinese, I had always stuck to that when I referred to her. Kaasan said "Yelan" means "blue night". ^_^ Well, I don't think you have to be Chinese to know about the dynasties, but yes, I am Chinese. =) And, actually, "Chen Chi Yuen" is my own name. XD Yes, I realize I gave my name to a male character (in _both_ fics of mine), but I never thought it sounded like a girl's name, which is why I made the character a guy. ^_~ To write it as "Yuan" doesn't sound/look right to me. =/ About the K thing…well, you see, I got these Chinese names from real people *isn't good at making up names* so… *shrugs* I don't know. ^_^ Well, Chi Yuen's role was more or less introduced in this chapter, ne? Un, both he and the two mysterious guys are essential to most of the plot, even if their role isn't as big as Syaoran's and Sakura's. ^_^

Author's Note to Jemusuto-n: *glomps* Hallo!! ^_^ I haven't checked yet, but did you join the ML? Did you, did you? I'm not sure if you got the message before the MB went down, but I was saying that if you know anyone else that supports them to ask them to join the ML, too. ^_^ I've been very busy, so I haven't updated this fic as much as I should (I began writing in May of 2001, I think). Oh, I started an E/K fic, too. Care to read? It's called "Travelling New Paths" *shameless plug* =Þ. To be honest, I live off of reviews, so I'll be looking forward to your comments! =)

Author's Note to hannagrace: Hanna-chan~ *hugs* I miss you a lot! No school means no see. =( Eto… *cries* I have the most screwed up schedule next year and I'm still really, really POed about it!! -_-* *pokes* I'm slow? What about you? More fics, more sequels, more sequels to your sequels, more, more, more!! XD

Author's Note to Gen: Well, I suppose because not many like Shui Ken's character and they like Xiao Lang? I'm glad you liked it, though. =)

Author's Note to chunsa1004: Wing Kay has one of the biggest parts in this entire fic. =) But I can't say any more than that because I don't want to spoil it for anyone. ^_~

Author's Note to Raine: No, Shui Ken isn't based on Eriol's character. Actually, there's no Eriol-based character to begin with. If I were to use CCS characters, they'd still retain their own names (for people like Syaoran and Meiling, I'd use their Chinese names). =)

Author's Note to amora: "This is the most original characters I've EVER seen in something besides an original." Gomen ne, amora-san, but I'm not quite sure who you're referring to. ^_^* However, once I get those profiles done, they should clear up a few things, ne? =) I wish I could draw well…then I could include pics, too. XD

Author's Note to Jurei: Wow, that was quite long, Jurei-san. And arigato. I know how annoying FF.N can be when they cut off an extremely long review. ^_^* It was probably just due to this: " 

Author's Note to Mel: About the bound feet, I know they did that in China, but I don't think it was done in Japan… As for the year, uh…don't know. ^_^* *sweatdrops* But it'd definitely be before the western civilization entered and changed the countries.

Author's Note to Animefreak242: Aside from the fourth and twelfth sons, all of Xiao Lang's half-brothers are still alive. I mentioned briefly what they were all doing in the second chapter. But, of course, that was months ago (in the TGS timeline). ^_^*

And thank you Satine, Final Fantasy Princess, Azure Rosas: Angel of the Moon, Azi, shimi-mouse, Nanali, LiL DreameR, Marquis Elmdor, Peacewish, KawaiiLunaKitty, Sakura Rain, and bootyful_lil'sakura for your reviews!

*Sakura   
~The Animé Archives Team


	15. Another One Falls

**The Guiding Star**

Another One Falls: Chapter Fifteen

By: Sakura

What was this feeling? A strange tightening in his chest… Why should he feel so strongly about it? Sakura should be fine. There was nothing to worry about…nothing at all! 

Prince Xiao Lang suddenly stopped running. Why was it that guilt was weighing him down? Was it because he had promised he'd protect Sakura but now had abandoned her? "That's not true," he told himself aloud. "This is the only way I can protect her right now." His voice sounded hollow to his ears and Xiao Lang knew he wasn't fooling even himself. 

He was such an idiot to leave her alone. What kind of protection was this? He could look after her better if she was by his side, not far away like this. Xiao Lang knew he was stupid not to realize it earlier. 

Turning around, the Prince hurried back to the inn Sakura was, hoping he wasn't too late. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

The feeling that something was terribly wrong never left Xiao Lang. If anything, it made him more anxious to get back to the inn and he quickened his pace. He breathed a short sigh of relief when he caught sight of the inn and sprinted the rest of the way across the path. Entering the building, he stopped short at the greeting he received. 

The place was completely empty. 

There wasn't a single person there. It was late morning and usually a few customers would be around, having a late breakfast. But today…nothing… Even the innkeeper wasn't standing there by the counter, as usual. What was going on here? 

A slight shiver crawled down Xiao Lang's spine. He didn't understand what could have happened. As long as Sakura was… After taking the stairs two at a time, the Prince hurried down the hall and flung both doors open. 

His wishes were very different from reality. He wanted to see Sakura there, turning around in surprise at seeing him and scolding him for leaving her behind. He wanted to see her smile for him and tell him everything would be okay as long as they stayed together. He didn't want to see what really met his eyes: the room completely in shambles, furniture thrown around, objects lying on the ground in pieces, blood staining the floor… Without realizing it, Xiao Lang dropped to his knees in shock. 

He lightly traced the floor with his finger. Blood…it wasn't Sakura's, was it? Had the guards found her? Was it that them that drove everyone else away from this place? It was the only thing that made sense to him. Burning with anger, the only thing Xiao Lang could think about was that he had failed Sakura again. Another broken promise…and he couldn't even remember now what made him leave her behind in the first place. Eyes hidden in shadows, the only other thing he could remember was… 

"Shui Ken," he muttered aloud. "This has to be his doing…" 

Getting up, the Prince practically flew down the hall and stairs, running as fast as he can. He had to find those guards…he just _had_ to! He had to get Sakura back! 

But as he was running along, Xiao Lang had the feeling that he wasn't alone. It unnerved him because he had no idea who was tracking him and where they were. He may not have been an expert tracker, but he was no novice. However, it wasn't through his skills that he knew he was being followed; it was pure instinct. 

Xiao Lang stopped running and stood his ground. He didn't really have time for a confrontation from anyone. But his discomfort would never go away until he found out who was following him and why. 

When he stopped, the Prince heard the rustle of tree branches behind him as someone leapt to the ground, landing effortlessly. "Why are you following me?" he asked, in a clear voice. There wasn't a single trace of unease or wariness. The person behind him circled around and stopped before him. A pair of midnight blue eyes watched him coolly, with only indifference in his eyes and expression. "Just what was Chen Chi Yuen doing here?" Xiao Lang wondered silently in surprise. 

"You seem to be in a hurry to get somewhere," Chi Yuen commented. "Where's the fire? Are you rushing because the Princess is missing? Has she finally slipped from your grasp?" Xiao Lang suddenly stiffened. So Chi Yuen knew…? He knew that Sakura was a princess? Did that also mean…? "That's right," Chi Yuen said, answered his unasked question, "I know everything about you, _Prince_ Li Xiao Lang." 

Within moments, Xiao Lang had leapt forward, grabbed Chi Yuen by his collar, and slammed him against a tree. The latter didn't even have time to flinch from being struck against the trunk. Nor did he even attempt to make Xiao Lang remove - or even loosen - his hold. He merely turned his cold gaze towards him. "Is something the matter, Prince Li?" he asked coolly. "Did I say something to upset you?" 

"How did you know about me?" Xiao Lang asked him, through gritted teeth. "And what did you do to Sakura? To all those people at the inn? And your own father? Why are you even here in the first place?" 

Chi Yuen studied him silently for a few minutes but suddenly laughed out loud. "You're just a fountain of questions, aren't you, Prince?" he said, still laughing. Xiao Lang's grip on Chi Yuen's collar tightened and he raised a fist, aiming to cuff him. But he stopped midway when he realized that he was grasping nothing but empty air. Chi Yuen had disappeared. Suddenly, the Prince fell forward, as he was knocked off his feet. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Chi Yuen behind him, still smirking at him. He somersaulted and landed back on his feet immediately. He hadn't realized how fast the other man was…to slip from his grasp and to attack in the same moment… But before he could move, the tip of a sword glinted in his eye. Xiao Lang also hadn't noticed the danger he was in… 

"Prince Xiao Lang," said Chi Yuen lazily, his drawn sword's blade resting lightly against the Prince's neck, "you well realize that I am the key to all your unanswered questions, I suppose? But," he smiled at the Prince, who only regarded the smile warily, "I'm a nice guy and that's why I'll answer _any_ questions you have, providing that you're able to spill my blood." At Xiao Lang's bewildered expression, Chi Yuen chuckled. "I know," he mused, "it's a rather unusual request. You must remember, though, Prince, that I never reveal anything to anyone weaker than myself." 

The older man withdrew his sword and sheathed it as he took a step back. "But like I already told you, I'm a nice guy. So I'll answer one of your questions for nothing. What do you want to know first?" Xiao Lang remained obstinately silent as he had, listening to Chi Yuen talk, but the latter didn't seem the least bit fazed by it. 

"My name," he began, "is Chen Chi Yuen, as you already know. That man you met, my 'father'," he smiled maliciously, "he's not really my father, just someone I brainwashed who believed I was his son. He actually has no son. And the reason I'm here is simply because _you_ were supposed to meet _me_." Seeing the Prince's startled expression caused Chi Yuen to stifle a smile. "That's right," he whispered softly, "I'm the one that killed Li Yao Liang." 

Xiao Lang couldn't believe how a few cold words could be spoken so easily. He acted as if it meant nothing to him… 

"Now, Xiao Lang," said Chi Yuen serenely, his eyes on his own sword as he unsheathed it, "why don't we get started? After all, answers don't come for fre-" Something breezed past Chi Yuen on his right side and he froze on the spot, his sword only half-unsheathed. A trickle of blood rolled down his right cheek and he placed a hand on his face, lightly tracing the new cut on his cheek. As he looked down at the blood on his fingertips, he said, rather lightly, "You're faster than I gave you credit for." 

The Prince ignored the comment and, without turning around, asked in a low tone, "Why did you kill him? What has he ever done to you?" His hands clenched tight on his sword. 

"Let me tell you a little story," replied Chi Yuen very quietly. "Many years ago, Yao Liang had killed a man, by the name of Jiao Wan, as a mission. Jiao Wan wasn't really a bad person. He just craved for a little power, like everyone else." At his pause, Xiao Lang turned around and Chi Yuen levelled his gaze to his. "Just like you and me. Yao Liang took pity on the only son of Jiao Wan, who was but a little boy, and decided to take him under his wing, even though the Council of Li Elders visibly disapproved. He taught that boy everything he knew and often even doted on him. No matter what the Council did to separate the two, Yao Liang stubbornly refused. Because, you see, he had cared for the boy as if he were his own son." 

A flicker of bitterness seemed to cross Chi Yuen's eyes, but at the same time, Xiao Lang wondered why he had never heard of this before. Yao Liang was by no means cold to him before, but sometimes, he just seemed to distance himself from Xiao Lang purposely… 

"However," continued Chi Yuen, with a dark look about his face, "he never once suspected that the boy harboured resentment towards him for killing his father. He wanted nothing more than to see Yao Liang dead. But he decided to bide his time. Do you realize who that boy was, Prince? It was me." 

Before Xiao Lang even had time to react to this, Chi Yuen had already moved on, "Do you know what the best revenge is? It's betrayal; betrayal from someone you care deeply about. It's not just physical pain, but mental and emotional anguish as well. To have someone you thought believed and cared for you turn completely against you…it's the most heart-wrenching revenge!" 

Xiao Lang had completely frozen, wishing all that Chi Yuen had said was from his own imagination. He briefly recollected once asking his master if he had taught anyone else. But his master's answer had come in a sharp tone and Xiao Lang never dared to ask him again. Now he remembered…the pain in his master's eyes were like nothing he had seen before… 

"Of course," reminisced Chi Yuen rather coolly, looking into the distance, "I really had no intention of actually killing him then. Just to break him, hurt him so that he would never be able to pull himself back together, so that he would be nothing more than an empty shell of a man. That's even worse than a plain, simple death. Want to know why he died, Prince? It was your own fault. All your fault. If you hadn't shown up that time and gotten in his way, Yao Liang would not have died." Xiao Lang had turned around to face him by this time, and saw the cruel smile on the other's face. "How does it feel, Prince? To know that you are the real reason he died? The real cause of his death?" He could see the Prince was shuddering from the anger that was overwhelming him and breathing very hard. His hands were by his side, clenched into tight fists. The aura around him was being to grow. "_You_ killed Li Yao Liang," he said, not being able to resist that last taunt. 

"Shut up!" cried Xiao Lang, exploding with rage. He could not remember a time where he felt such indescribable and uncontrollable anger. It coursed through him like a thunderbolt. Without another word, he leapt toward Chi Yuen, sword drawn and struck at him. However, Chi Yuen either easily blocked his moves with his own sword or simply moved out of harm's way. While he was still fighting did the Prince realize that he was being blinded by his fury, that this was exactly what Chi Yuen wanted. Pausing momentarily, he tried to recall his calm, and remembered that he wouldn't be able to fight properly like this, for his anger had made his moves big, clumsy, and predictable. 

"It's really hard to believe you were Yao Liang's pupil, Prince," Chi Yuen said, continuing with his taunts. "You must have just been some sort of failure; so much so that even a man as talented as Yao Liang wouldn't be able to teach you anything." At this point, however, Xiao Lang was no longer affected by his words and focused on the fight. He'd show him the extent of Master's belief in him. He'd show Chi Yuen that Master would never ever regret sacrificing his own life for his apprentice's… 

Being a student of magic, Xiao Lang knew more than one way to fight. But, his biggest problem concerning it was that he lacked the experience fighting with magic. When he sparred with his twin cousins, out of respect for Mei Ling, neither he nor Di Xuan used magic in their fights. When training at the Li Elder's home, he was told not to use magic as his power was greater than the majority of his opponents', something Yu Hong resented him for. The only one that really helped him out with his magic was Master. He was the one that had trained him, after all. No one else was allowed to help teach him, not even Wing Kuen. His training had only begun when the Prince was thirteen, following the advent of his becoming an apprentice, and it lasted up until the day Master had died. Following that, Xiao Lang had wanted no other teacher, and had only trained himself. It was because of this that he did not know his own true strength. He didn't know the depths of his power nor how much should be used with every move he made. It was an asset he sorely lacked and something he would never gain without experience. 

Xiao Lang gripped the sword tight in his hand, the sword given to him by the Li Elders, and a sword that had once belonged to his master. He recalled Jian Wei telling him that Yao Liang had been on the same mission once but had died before he could really accomplish it. It was this sword that he had been entrusted with. As well, for some reason, it was a sword that the elemental rings seemed to fear, recalling the incident with the water spirit. Chi Yuen noticed the sword the Prince held for the first time and studied the blade with unhidden interest. 

"You were granted the dragon sword…" he murmured quietly, almost to himself. Xiao Lang's face displayed nothing but surprise at hearing this. "You mean you didn't know?" laughed Chi Yuen, understanding the other's sudden bewilderment. Trust the Li Elders to not tell everything they knew, he thought, with a malicious smile. "Nothing much is known about that sword of yours," said Chi Yuen, pointing at the blade in Xiao Lang's hands. "It has only been called the dragon sword because of the dragon carved out of the end of the handle. However," he added, with a mockingly sad tone in his voice, "it's a useless sword. No powers in it whatsoever. Nothing at all like its brother sword." 

"What on earth are you referring to now?" asked Xiao Lang, keeping his eyes on Chi Yuen, looking for an opening. Though Chi Yuen appeared to be carelessly moving about, the Prince could clearly see that he was always on his guard, showing him no openings. Without another word, Chi Yuen took his own sword and struck it into the ground. His hand rested on the hilt for a brief moment before he lowered it and watched as Xiao Lang's eyes widened. A phoenix had been carved out of the end of the handle for his sword. A split second later, Chi Yuen drew his sword from the ground and whirled it twice, letting the soil fly off the smooth, sharp blade. The design on the hilt of Chi Yuen's sword was the same as his own, the Prince realized. In fact, the swords were identical, excepting the fact that a different entity had been carved at the end. 

"Come, Prince Li," Chi Yuen said, beckoning to him. "I'll show you how weak and useless you truly are. I'll prove to you that you are nothing but a failure, without the right to even call yourself a student of the formerly great Li Yao Liang." A smirk suddenly lit onto his face. "It's because of your nature that Sakura left you and never wants to see you again." The added taunt had the very effect that Chi Yuen wanted; Xiao Lang lunged at him again, striking down. However, the attack was different from last time. Even though Chi Yuen had instantly sped around his opponent, he was shocked when Xiao Lang had spun around at the same time and slashed down on him. The blade slit his clothes from the shoulder diagonally to his waist. He hadn't backed away enough to have the sword miss him, for the tip had also cut his skin in the same diagonal pattern, causing blood to draw to the surface as it dripped through the long thin opening. The man held his hand to his chest, smearing the blood on his clothes, as he sat in his crouched position. Although it looked bad, Chi Yuen knew himself to not be in any real danger, but he was lucky to not have been more severely injured. 

"I really must stop underestimating you, don't you agree, Prince Li?" he said, the steady confident smile never leaving his face. "Every time I think you're just a weakling, you prove to me you're not totally worthless. However," Chi Yuen stood up, ignoring the cut, and dusted off his clothes nonchalantly. He looked toward Xiao Lang with eyes burning intensely, eyes the colour of a brilliant sapphire. "Your level is nowhere near mine. I'll show you the differences in our powers." 

Chi Yuen held the sword up against the palm of his left hand and closed his eyes. He didn't seem to care that he was leaving himself completely open. But when Xiao Lang moved to attack again, he realized that he couldn't. It was as if something was pinning him down, not allowing him to budge at all. Looking back at Chi Yuen, he saw the other was muttering something under his breath and watched in amazement as a light coursed around him. The light all seemed to be drawn to the sword as it surrounded it and it flashed briefly before obtaining a glow of pure gold, or some colour to that extent. Chi Yuen opened his eyes and he saw that his eyes also were glowing, a deep sapphire blue. Something seemed to have awakened in Chi Yuen. 

Without a word, Chi Yuen leapt toward Xiao Lang, his gold sword held tight in his hands. He landed before the latter, a cruel smirk on his lips, but before the Prince could make a single move - as he realized his movements were no longer restricted - Chi Yuen disappeared from sight. Xiao Lang whirled around, trying to spot him, but he was nowhere to be seen. It was then that the Prince suddenly noticed a light flutter in the wind. Chi Yuen was showing greater speed than earlier, but Xiao Lang knew exactly where he was and where he was heading. He struck his sword out to his left and his opponent suddenly appeared there, his own sword clashed against the Prince's. Xiao Lang changed his stance to face Chi Yuen and both pushed hard against their swords, willing the other to fall. The elder of the two appeared to be struggling to beat down the young Prince, but it was really all a fluke. In an instant, his left foot kicked the Prince's blade off to the side and he stabbed his sword into the boy's shoulder. Xiao Lang's eyes widened in shock as the force of the thrust slammed him into a tree. Before he could move again, Chi Yuen was already by his side and he pulled his sword free, Xiao Lang gasping from the swiftness of his move, and immediately followed up with a heavy cuff from his right fist. 

At this point, however, Xiao Lang had ducked and somersaulted out of the way, his left hand grasping his injured shoulder as the blood from the wound ran down his arm, soaking his clothes in its redness. He was panting heavily and his shoulder was throbbing from the pain, but he still stood his ground. In his right hand, he still gripped his sword tight. Chi Yuen slowly approached him this time, the glow of his eyes never wavering, his own golden blade by his side. He then held it up and threw it toward Xiao Lang, using it like a spear and when the Prince had moved to avoid it, he suddenly found himself flat on his back. The sword had merely been means of a distraction. Chi Yuen had used those few seconds to knock the Prince down with a well-placed punch. As Xiao Lang tried to sit up, he found he could not; Chi Yuen's foot rested heavily on his chest, pushing him down. 

"Going somewhere, Prince?" Chi Yuen asked, a cold smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Xiao Lang obstinately refused to answer him and just glared at him with his amber eyes. Silence ensued around them as both watched the other. The elder of the two chuckled lightly for a moment and removed his foot from the Prince's chest. But before the latter could move, Chi Yuen brought his foot down heavily on Xiao Lang's arm. A sickening crack split the silence in the atmosphere and Xiao Lang's sword fell from his grasp. His arm had been broken. 

"Oh, I'm very sorry," said Chi Yuen in a tone of false sadness. "Was that your only 'good' arm? I guess that means you won't be able to use your sword for a while, with that right arm of yours out of commission. That's really, really just too ba-" The man had touched his right cheek again to find another cut, deeper than the last, and looked to the dagger that created it, fixed to the trunk of a nearby tree. The Prince had originally slipped the blade from under his clothes and threw it with his left hand. 

"You still…owe me…two answers…" Xiao Lang said, with some difficulty. His breathing had become ragged and he was beginning to feel a little dizzy from the pain. Chi Yuen drew his foot back coolly, but the Prince could no longer gather the effort to pull himself up. It took him some moments before he could find the words to speak. "Where is Sakura?" he asked, at last. "What did you do to her?" 

"I didn't do a thing to her," Chi Yuen answered with a low laugh. "She came with me willingly and decided on her own to stay with me. The poor girl," he added, shaking his head in mock sorrow, "she doesn't realize I'm just using her powers to collect the rings. When my mission is done, she'll be useless. It'll then be my sad duty to get rid of her for good." 

The Prince's strength suddenly felt as if it had been renewed. There was no way he was going to let this man hurt Sakura. She didn't deserve anything of that sort. He wouldn't let anyone hurt her, ever. He had promised to protect her… He struggled to get up, ignoring the pain in his shoulder and the look of his right arm lying limply on the ground in the strangest angle. But the moment he sat up, Chi Yuen had already bent over him, his hand resting lightly on his chest. "If it were up to me," he whispered into his ear, "you would never see Sakura ever again." He moved back a bit to face him and smiled coldly. "Don't forget to say hello to Yao Liang when you see him in the after life." It was then that Xiao Lang noticed the area around his chest where Chi Yuen had placed his hand was warming up… No, it wasn't warm…it was burning hot… 

A wave of fire seemed to engulf the Prince entirely, originating from that one hand pressed lightly against his chest. This fire was all internal; an excruciating pain that spread to every part of his body… Unable to suppress it, a scream ripped through his lips as the fiery heat consumed him. With a sudden, stark realization, the Prince realized it. "I'm going to die…" 

Through half-closed eyes, amidst the writhes of torture, Xiao Lang could see Chi Yuen watching him as he stood up, a mask of indifference covering his expression. Even a display such as this seemed to give him no satisfaction whatsoever. Rather, he turned tail and walked away, leaving the Prince to die in his agony. Xiao Lang tried to ignore the effects of the flame again, and tried his best to sit up, but the effort was hurting him more than anything else. He fell back on the ground in the end, his mind beginning to numb from the pain: the wound in his shoulder, his broken arm, and…what was the other thing…? His head felt so clouded…he couldn't really remember anymore… 

Tired…he felt so tired… Maybe he should just close his eyes and sleep…it wouldn't hurt so much if he slept…he could escape this insufferable pain this way… After all, what was the point of living? There was really nothing for him at all…nothing at all… 

"You're an idiot if that's what you believe." 

Who said that? The voice was familiar…it was someone he knew, a voice he hadn't heard in so long…a voice he missed… 

"Get up already! Your master would be ashamed of you. I'm ashamed of you, come to think about it. And how do you think she feels? Are you going to break your promise to her again? You know you can't do that, because you care for her too much. Don't let her go…" 

Her? Who was she? Promise…he promised something to someone…? What was it…what?! 

A lone drop of water landed on Xiao Lang's cheek. But soon, more drops fell from the sky. It was as if someone was crying… As the rain fell, the Prince stared dully at the sky, blinking every time the water touched his eyes. It felt soothing…somewhere in the back of his mind, he noticed the fires within him had been put out…but it mattered little to him now, so far gone on the other side of pain…it would be so much better if he just closed his eyes and rested… 

An image suddenly flashed in his mind; an image of an unknown, lonesome girl, crying all alone. He wanted to reach out to her, hold her, and tell her that she needn't cry, that he would protect her always… 

"Sakura!" 

Xiao Lang's eyes snapped open at the jolt of remembrance and he forced himself to sit up. He couldn't let himself go, just like that. He had to get Sakura back before that guy does anything to hurt her. But, at the sudden action, his body went limp from the shock, and he fell back to the ground with a heavy thud, no longer moving…no longer breathing… 

And the rain continued to drizzle down over his body… 

~*~*~*~*~*~

The teacup suddenly slipped from Sakura's fingers and hit the ground with a loud crash. The cup and tea both forgotten, she placed her hand on her forehead. For some unexplainable reason, the Princess felt rather dizzy. Was it just her imagination? Had someone said her name? Because it sounded like Xiao Lang had called her… 

No…it couldn't have been Xiao Lang, Sakura thought firmly. There was no way…besides, she didn't even want to think about him right now. Her gaze drifted to the window, listening to the heavy rain beating on the roof the inn. Chi Yuen had left hours ago…when was he coming back? 

As if on cue, the door opened and Chi Yuen limped in, soaking wet from the downpour, a still-bleeding gash on his cheek. Not only was he wet, but he was also covered with dirt from head to toe, with blood intermingling his many wounds. With a slight gasp and eyes widened, Sakura hurried to his side and helped him into a nearby chair. 

"What happened to you?" she asked anxiously, wiping the dirt away from the cuts on his face. Taking a closer look, she realized it looked like someone had struck him with something sharp, twice. But why would anyone want to do that to him? 

Grinning ruefully, Chi Yuen placed his hand over hers and held it, stopping it from moving. Sakura felt her face flush slightly as he answered, "I accidentally got in the middle of a brawl just outside of town. But I haven't been injured badly. There's no way they could hurt me. They're all so weak and-" He suddenly stopped in mid-sentence when Sakura flung her arms around his neck and hugged him. When he watched her from the corner of his eyes, he was startled to see she was crying. 

"Thank goodness you're okay," she whispered through her tears. "You really had me worried there…" 

Chi Yuen wrapped his arms around her slender form, the dirt and blood staining her clothes. "I'm sorry for scaring you," he murmured into her ear, smiling again, and more cheerfully this time. "I'm all right, really." He thought back to the "weakling" he had fought just earlier. "But he may never be…" he muttered under his breath. 

Author's Note: I'm sorry, I'm sorry!!! *begs forgiveness of everyone* Bad Sakura, bad Sakura! *thwaps, thwaps* I'm so sorry that I've been really slow about updating my fics… I haven't had very much time for anything during school and after school ended, it was all work, work, work. Aah~! The strange thing is, more than half of this chapter was finished since around the time I posted the last chapter. But, I couldn't actually finish it with all those stupid writer's blocks. "The New Cards" had the same issues, too~~! Gomen nasai, gomen nasai~~~~~!!!!! ;_; 

If anyone still wants, I can e-mail them whenever I update this fic, or any of my fics. Just leave me your e-mail and I'll do it. 

So…um…I killed off a main character? *nervous laugh* Oh, well, since hardly anyone reads it anymore, I guess it's quite possible that no one will notice. =P 

I'll do my best not to post the next chapter so late next time~ I've already outlined what's to happen in the next chapter and all I need is time to write it all out. =) 

Just so you know, this chapter would have been out a few days sooner if FF.N hadn't died on me. On the day I finished writing and proofing, the site died on me. x_x 

Author's Note to LiL DreameR: I guess this chapter explained more of Chi Yuen's character, ne? ^_^* I'm a little vexed with myself, though. I just found out that the proper romanization for "Chen Chi Yuen" is actually "Chen Qi Yun". -o- Oh, well. It'll stay as it is. =Þ 

Author's Note to hannagrace: Hahaha, no longer just muse, but "mommy", too, ne? ^_~ *hugs* Sorry I was being evil and not letting you read the ficcy the day I finished. =x Just to note, this is probably the fifth or sixth title change and I still hate it. ¬_¬ 

Author's Note to mercurygirl: Oh, I've always liked just calling Yu-Gi-Oh! as Yuugiou. ^_^ The hyphens take longer to type out and Sakura's just a naturally lazy person. =P Also, technically, "Yuugiou" isn't incorrect as when you romanize character for character, it's yu-u-gi-o-u. But sometimes, when there's a long u sound (two u's), it would be replaced with just one u or sometimes a u after an o would be romanized as h. As we all know, that's how Takahashi-sensei romanizes it (Yugioh). =) So many ways of romanizing, so confusing sometimes. x_x 

Author's Note to Shirahana: Have you ever watched Huan Zhu Ge Ge? Just one of the many Chinese series set in the past (I think this was around Ching Dynasty or something? I don't really remember right now) and my favourite of that genre. ^_^ However, that wasn't where I got my idea for the fic. Thinking back to two years ago, it was more like I was walking by kaasan watching one of those types of series and thought, what if so-so was this or that, etc, etc… ^_^* My inspirations usually come from random places or things. =P As for my descriptions, if they're somewhat like that, then cool. I don't have much confidence in my way of describing anything. -_-* 

Author's Note to Sara: I really wish I could give you a date when you could expect the next chapter and whatnot. Unfortunately, there are so many factors in my life that affect my writing or most importantly, my time to write. So giving out an approximate time is exceedingly difficult (it would be hard to make it accurate). The most I can do at the moment is to e-mail you whenever there's a new chapter out. 

Author's Note to sparklybrowneyes: I know, I know, the many different characters…it's too confusing right now. I know I've been saying it forever, but I have been trying to make a chara list that briefly sums up each chara. I'll most likely have it posted on my blog. I'm also an avid Syaoran and Sakura fan so I, just as much as you, want to see them together. ^_^ However, I still haven't thought of how to conclude this story so we'll see what happens to them and everyone in the end. Because we can't forget, Sakura is still technically Shui Ken's concubine… 

Author's Note to Shadow: Wow, Shadow-san… I never even thought of it being Wing Kuen at all… You had a very interesting theory there. =D Hmm, I've been neglecting poor Wing Kuen, even if he IS dead…he needs a side story like the one Shui Ken got sometime. ^_^* Maybe, maybe… 

Author's Note to Dusk-Magic13: Oh, Sakura's name stays because, well, she's from Japan, ne? And that's her name, not the flower. (This makes no sense, huh? I'm getting lost myself.) If we were talking about the flower, then they'd call it "ying hua". But since it's a person's name, it doesn't change. The only reason Xiao Lang's name is romanized as "Syaoran" in the CCS series is only because that's how they would pronounce his name when it's transliterated to Japanese. Ar-gu, ar-gu, how to put this… 

Author's Note to Yukimi Takiro: Which boy? You mean Shui Ken? Ar-gu, I really need to get those chara lists finished… He should be around twenty at this point of the story. 

And thank you Final Fantasy Princess, AZNangel20, MimiGhost, Rosie, Nanali, Animefreak242, rubygurl, Jurei, meemee, Litanya, White Blossoms, and Trulie Hope for your reviews! 

*Sakura   
~The Animé Archives Team


	16. Betrayal Revealed

**The Guiding Star**

Betrayal Revealed: Chapter Sixteen

By: Sakura

She was all alone. 

Looking about her, all Sakura could see was that she was by herself in the vast, endless darkness. The feeling of loneliness was overwhelming her so that her tears fell without her even realizing. All of a sudden, she was running in the pitch black with no idea where she was headed, as her eyes were blinded by her own tears. But upon hearing approaching footsteps, footsteps not her own, they echoed so eerily in the emptiness that she ran even faster. Someone called for her to stop, but she didn't pay heed to their words. Suddenly, a tall hooded figure caught her arm and turned her around to face them. That figure then pulled off his hood, revealing a slightly messy-haired man with warm amber eyes. She had gasped out his name in recognition. 

"Xiao Lang…" she whispered. He held her hand in his and kept it close to him. It looked as if he had been about to speak when the tip of a sword suddenly protruded from his mid-section and withdrew back quickly, mercilessly. Someone had stabbed him from the back, someone completely hidden away by the endless black night. The blood poured from the open wound and, as he released her hand, Xiao Lang fell to the ground, unmoving, lying in a pool of his own blood. It was as if someone had ripped her heart from her chest. "No!!!" she cried, dropping down beside him and holding his cold body. "Xiao Lang, no!!" 

Sakura had awoken with a start, her entire body shaking with fright. Chi Yuen was instantly by her side, his hands on her still shivering shoulders. 

"Sakura, what is it? What's wrong?" he asked, a look of deep worry on his face. 

"I… I…" she stammered. She couldn't find the words to express what she saw. Chi Yuen seemed to understand immediately and he drew her into a tight embrace. Sakura felt her shivers slowly dying away. 

"It was only a dream," he said soothingly. "It didn't mean anything… Don't worry about it." 

Sakura hoped that she could believe that with all her heart, but she couldn't erase the image of Xiao Lang lying dead before her… 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Someone was crying. 

Xiao Lang looked around. All he could see was infinite darkness. But he could hear someone near him, crying almost silently. Who was shedding these tears of sorrow? 

The sound of footsteps echoed in that vast darkness. But they were receding into the shadows, rather than approaching him. Whirling around, he saw a hooded figure running away from him. That person was the only one there in that black, empty place aside from him. A voice in his head told him, he didn't want this person to leave his side, and he immediately took chase. 

"Wait, wait!" he called after them. "Stop; don't go!" The figure did not slow down, but Xiao Lang sped up instead, stretching out toward that person and grabbed their wrist. "I said wait!" he cried, pulling that person short and forcing them to turn around. The hood fell away, revealing a girl with long brown hair and soft emerald green eyes. She stared at him in surprise. Xiao Lang stared back at her, his expression mirroring her own. 

"Xiao Lang…" she exclaimed in a faint whisper. He couldn't believe it. The only one with him here in this nightmare was the one he wanted to see the most. Instinctively, he pulled her close to him and rested it on his chest, his hand covering hers. With his other hand, he reached to touch her face. 

"Sakura," he began, "I…" 

But in a flurry of cherry blossom petals, the girl suddenly disappeared. Xiao Lang clenched his fists, but all he had to show for it was a handful of petals. The flowers all continued to flutter to the ground and the Prince found himself all alone again. One hand was on his chest and he was breathing hard. It felt like he was going to break into pieces. "Sakura, don't go!" he cried, as all the petals were lifted by a strong wind and disappeared into nothingness. There was nothing left but pitch black… 

"Sakura!!!" 

Slowly opening his eyes, Xiao Lang found himself staring up at a white ceiling. "Was all that a dream?" he mumbled aloud, feeling dizzy and a little disoriented still. 

As he tried to prop himself up, all the pain came rushing back at once and he fell back on the bed with surprise. His entire body throbbed as he remembered the most recent events. Chi Yuen had nearly killed him…rather, Xiao Lang was astonished that he was still alive. Being able to feel every ache and pain in his body attested to that. That meant the past events were not a dream…but he began to wonder where he was. Looking around, he noticed someone had taken off his shirts and bandaged the wounds on his shoulder. His right arm had been wrapped in some stiff material and he couldn't move it at all. It was still broken. His body had been bruised and slightly singed, but he had been neatly cleaned up and all wounds were spoken for. Glancing around the room as he slowly pulled himself into a sitting position, careful not to rip the bandages, he found he was in a simple room with nothing more than the standard table with chairs in the center and a bed to the side. His sword was propped against the wall beside the bed and his shirts were neatly mended and folded, placed on the table. There was one chair pulled up next to the bed, but whoever its occupant was, they were not there now. His only clue to the seat's owner was that they used the small bow lying on the table beside his shirt, and also next to quiver of arrows and a strange little jar. 

"Thank you, doctor," a voice called cheerily in the hallway. "I'm going to go check on him now." Before Xiao Lang had time to react, the doors opened, and a tall woman swept regally into the room, a mature air about her. She was strikingly beautiful, with her long raven black hair arranged into many neat braids, creamy white skin, and eyes the shade of polished jade. In her hands held a worn pouch, which Xiao Lang later recognized to be his, but for the moment, he couldn't stop staring, with his eyes widened, at the woman. He would still have believed he was dreaming if his arm hadn't been hurting him so. Wordlessly, the woman crossed the room and sat in the chair beside his side and smiled pleasantly at him. Xiao Lang couldn't find his voice and said nothing at her approach. He still stared at her in shocked silence. When she spoke, her voice was sweet and amiable. 

"It's been a very long time, hasn't it, Xiao Lang?" she asked. 

Xiao Lang's mouth was dry, but he managed to find his voice again and spoke to her for the first time in years. "Wing Kay…" 

~*~*~*~*~*~

With the gold star whirling and the white wings glowing faintly, Sakura used her key to lock the red ring and it fell into the palm of her hand. She stared at it sadly for a moment, remembering the person she was with the last time she sealed a ring spirit. 

"You're incredible, Sakura," said Chi Yuen in awe, "being able to seal such a thing so easily." 

"Oh, no," she protested, flushing slightly, "it's not me. It's the ring that seals the spirits." She watched as Chi Yuen sheathed his sword, noticing that there was a strange figure carved out at the end of the hilt. "But you're even more amazing, Chi Yuen," she added, "since you were able to battle that fire spirit so easily." 

Chi Yuen smiled ruefully. "It was only luck," he said cheerfully, as the two of them left the forest. "But, who would have expected to encounter such a strange spirit out here? And it could have killed us if it tried. Did you come across other similar spirits before?" 

"Twice," Sakura answered briefly, suddenly falling silent. She didn't really want to talk about Xiao Lang with Chi Yuen right now. 

The fact was, at the moment, Sakura was still worried about Xiao Lang. The dream she had the night before was so vivid, so realistic, it was as if it had really happened… 

"…have it?" 

It was then that Sakura realized that Chi Yuen was speaking to her. "Sorry," she said, "what was that?" 

"Could I have that ring?" Chi Yuen repeated. "It's really beautiful and I'd like to study it a bit." 

"Sure," Sakura answered absently, surrendering the ring to him. Her mind was still on Xiao Lang and she thought of little else for a long time. Chi Yuen pocketed the ring and as they headed back to the inn they were staying at, he watched her out of the corner of his eye, an expression of great amusement on his face. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

The prince obediently stayed still as Wing Kay took off the bandages around his shoulder and he watched her as she worked. She didn't seem to be the least bit fazed at the amount of blood that poured from his deep shoulder wound, and diligently continued to clean the wound and replace the bandage. To see her again like this, it was really like a dream for Xiao Lang. It had been four years since he had last seen her and she was more beautiful and more kind than he remembered her. When she finished, Wing Kay looked up at him and caught his gaze, their eyes locked for a few timeless moments, broken only when she looked away with a slight blush. 

"Er…um…" Xiao Lang stuttered, trying to find the words to speak again. "How did I get here?" he finally asked. 

"We found you," she answered, as she stood up to put the bandages away. Xiao Lang watched her every move, drinking in the very sight of her. "The doctor and I," she added, as she settled back in her chair by his side. "We had heard something strange when we were heading back to the clinic and he wanted to investigate it. Imagine our surprise at finding you completely unconscious. I almost thought that, after I had finally found you, I wouldn't be able to see you smile for me again." She suddenly turned away, not letting him see the tears threatening to fall. 

"Wing Kay…" he murmured quietly. She suddenly turned around again to face him, smiling. Any trace of tears had long since vanished. 

"The doctor said you were at the brink of death," she continued, "but that, somehow, you hadn't let go of your life. 'Stubbornly clinging on to it' was how he put it." She laughed somewhat weakly, not sure what else to say. To see the man she loved on the verge of death had been a huge shock, even bigger than the one of finding him all the way here in Zhongxian, a town so far from the capital. But before she could say another word, Xiao Lang had reached out to her with his good arm and pulled her to him, holding her close in a tight hug. She slipped her arms around his neck and held him close to her, as well. "You've grown up a lot, Xiao Lang," she whispered. "And I've missed you so much… You're still everything to me…" 

"The countless number of times I wanted to drop everything and go look for you…" Xiao Lang murmured quietly into her ear. "I've missed you, too…" Wing Kay suddenly broke the embrace, pulling away from him. 

"Are you sure it's me you missed?" she asked with a wry smile. "This 'Sakura' seems to be very important to you." 

At her words, Xiao Lang stiffened the slightest bit. "How do you know about Sakura?" he asked. 

Wing Kay was on her feet, suddenly restless, and walked toward the table, her back to him. "You were…" she began hesitantly. "You were calling for her in your sleep. Telling her not to leave you." 

That was something that Xiao Lang couldn't explain… He knew he loved Wing Kay, would always love her… But, at the same time, he really cared about Sakura. He didn't want anything to happen to her… He still had his promise to keep. But how to explain that to Wing Kay… When he looked back at Wing Kay, he could see that she no longer wanted to know, since she had already changed the subject. 

"I'll go see if the doctor can see you now," she said quietly without looking at him, slowly edging back toward the door. "I'm sure he wants to see how you're doing now, and…" When she looked up, she suddenly found Xiao Lang standing before her and she took an involuntary step back in surprise. He had gotten up and crossed the room to her. He had grown so much taller from the Xiao Lang she remembered, his face was no longer childish, and he had turned to a mature young man. With the closed doors at her back and the prince standing before her, she didn't bother to look anywhere else, completely immersed in his intense gaze. His eyes hadn't changed, still full of warmth and love… Holding her cheek in his hand, Xiao Lang leaned down and kissed her. Wing Kay, though surprised, returned his kiss with her own and then hugged him again. She still loved him too much… 

Pulling her close to him again, Xiao Lang whispered, "Don't worry… You're still the only one I love…" The tears that Wing Kay held back now fell… Tears of utter happiness at being with the one she loved again… 

The doors abruptly opened at this time and the doctor entered, an eyebrow raised at the pair before him, followed by a light chuckle. He was an elderly man with long, greyish-white hair pulled back into a ponytail, a bit of a slump in his shoulders that denoted his age, but still with a spring in his step and a good sense of humour. He was a kind man that cared only for helping people recover to their normal health, not judging a person by who they were. He was the type to help anyone, regardless of how rich or poor, good or evil, they were. He believed everyone had the right to be healed and that everyone had the right to live. 

"Wing Kay," he said in mock sternness, "the patient has to be resting in bed. He still needs to recover from those numerous wounds." Wing Kay and Xiao Lang broke their embrace in embarrassment but the doctor continued, with a twinkle in his eyes, "You can continue being lovey-dovey after I finish checking on him. Ah…" he laughed. "How nice it is to be young again." Wing Kay led the prince back to his bed and he sat down on the side. She bowed to the doctor as he seated himself next to Xiao Lang, and stood next to them as he did his check-up. 

"My, you're looking fairly healthy for a man that was unconscious for more than four days," the doctor told him with a smile, as he looked over the wounds left unhealed on the prince's body. "My name's Ching Tai Sun, just a lowly doctor that does his best in helping people. But…" he added gravely, gesturing to Xiao Lang's broken arm. "I'm afraid there's nothing I can do about this arm. I've never seen bones broken in such a fashion. It's a real mystery to me. Then again," he laughed, "you did the impossible and still lived when I actually expected you to die! You are really something else…" 

Xiao Lang stared at his right arm expressionlessly, but said nothing. 

"What I can do for you now is to put it in a cast or brace," Tai Sun continued, "to keep the arm in place. You don't want to move it around too much or you'd risk breaking it further or ripping your arm out of place. However, I heard you're a magician from the Li clan. Perhaps they have a healer that can heal this arm for you with magic. Because ordinary means would be unable to help you at all." Seeing the sudden wariness in the prince's eyes, and his gaze darting between Wing Kay and doctor, the latter sighed in understanding. "Yes, I know all about you. Wing Kay never said a word about it to me. It's rather famous news, actually, even in a town so far from the capital as this: the runaway prince that tried to kill his brother and stole away aforementioned brother's concubine. With the way Prince Li is combing China for you two, it'd be a wonder if people didn't know." 

"Prince Li Xiao Lang, fifteenth Prince of the former Emperor," the doctor said to him, "has never visited this clinic and was never treated by me. The only person living here is a simple farmer that had been gravely hurt somehow and has stayed here in my home to recover. Am I correct?" Tai Sun smiled at him and Xiao Lang relaxed, instinctively believing that he could really trust the elderly man, and smiled in return. "Ah, Wing Kay," Tai Sun said suddenly. "May you please go and purchase some more bandages? We've used up most of what we have in this store on this young man. And I'm certain he will require more on his journey." Wing Kay nodded and bowed to him in acquiesce. With one last smile to Xiao Lang, she hurried out of the room to fulfill his request. 

"I love that girl as if she were my own daughter," said Tai Sun suddenly, with a touch of sadness in his voice. "She's been with me since I met her four years ago. What a mischievous rogue she was then!" The doctor laughed at the recollection. But the laughter immediately subsided and he faced Xiao Lang seriously. "Prince Li," he said, "will you take her with you? She needs someone like you. I've never seen her as happy as when she is with you." 

The prince was stunned by this sudden request. Take Wing Kay with him? Could he really do that? Just a few minutes ago, he had been taken up in the moment of being in the presence of his old love and had done so much he never expected himself to be able to do, but to have her stay with him on his mission… 

~*~*~*~*~*~

It hadn't been more than a week since she had last seen Xiao Lang, but Sakura missed his presence keenly. She was beginning to have second thoughts about leaving him… What if it had all just been a misunderstanding? 

Sitting alone in her room, Sakura hugged her legs even closer to her as she sat by the table. No… She was only kidding with herself… The only reason she wished for it all to be a misunderstanding was simply because she wanted to be by his side, to assure herself that her dream was not also a reality. Above all else, she wanted the prince to be safe from harm. 

Still, on a different note, Chi Yuen was a good person and he really helped her out whenever he could. Sakura liked him a lot, however, she knew it was nothing like what she felt for Xiao Lang. She loved him; and thus, could never forget him even if she tried. 

The sound of a chair being thrown to the ground and breaking in the room next door startled Sakura out of her reverie and she stood up. That was Chi Yuen's room… 

Quietly slipping out of her room, she crept toward her companion's room and had opened the door just a slit when someone yelled, "Why didn't you kill him off?" She jumped back in surprise at the sudden outburst and wondered who was speaking. It didn't sound like Chi Yuen, at all, for the voice was deep and guttural. Was someone in there with him? 

Making her way back to the door, she knelt down by the side and peeked in through the slit. From where she was, she could see Chi Yuen sitting by the small round table holding the small teacup, an expression of indifference etched across his features. He wasn't alone, either. Another person, entirely clothed in a dark grey cloak with their face completely hidden from view, was pacing the floor before him, in apparent agitation. The person suddenly stopped and wheeled around to face Chi Yuen. 

"You had the chance to finish him off right then and there!" continued the cloaked figure. "Why didn't you do it? Why did you let him live?" 

Chi Yuen merely glanced up at the person from his cup, the air of boredom never lifting. "There's no reason for him to die yet," he answered, coolly. "That prince brat is still too important in my plans. If I killed Xiao Lang now, I can just forget everything I did to get to this point. Still," he added, a cold smirk forming on his lips, "I hurt him enough the last time we met that he wished he _had_ died." 

The Japanese princess fell back with a loud gasp, but quickly covered her mouth with her hands. "What was that?" asked the cloak person, suddenly alert. "Someone's out there." Scolding herself for her carelessness, Sakura quickly crawled toward her room and had just reached the first circular pillar when the door opened and the unknown person stepped out. She crept behind it and hid from sight, hoping the darkness in the hall was enough to shield her. The light from the room lit up part of the darkened hallway and the cloaked figure glanced around, looking from one end of the hallway to the other. They saw nothing at all, aside from darkness and several pillars that supported the ceiling. The pillars… 

Sakura's eyes widened for a moment when she heard the footsteps slowly approaching and then she shut them tight, burying her head into her arms. She had drawn her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, trying to stop them from shaking with fright. If only… If only she wasn't so weak and useless… She didn't know what she would do if she got caught. At first, she thought that perhaps Chi Yuen would help her, but now, remembering what he had said just earlier, it was impossible. Because he had tried to kill Xiao Lang… "Xiao Lang…" she cried inside, with all her heart. "Where are you now? Are you all right…" A hand was slowing reaching out toward her from behind, trying to grab whoever was hiding behind that pillar… 

"There's probably no one there so stop wasting my time and get back in here!" called Chi Yuen in irritation. The hand withdrew rather hesitantly and the figure strode back into the room, closing the doors behind them. With her hands over her wildly beating heart, Sakura breathed a sigh of relief and leaned her head back on the pillar for support. Her arms and legs were still shaking, but at least that person was gone. 

Slowly moving back toward the door again, and as she reminded herself over and over to be more careful, she sat down and placed her ear near the door, hoping to hear what they were saying. Perhaps Chi Yuen would mention where he had last seen Xiao Lang, something she desperately wanted to know. 

"And just when do you intend to get rid of that girl?" asked the deep, harsh voice again, a touch of impatience in their tone. "You're just wasting time babysitting her." 

"I'll be rid of her as soon as her usefulness is up," Chi Yuen said, with a pleasant smile. "The only thing that girl is useful for is collecting rings. She's completely useless in every other respect." Unexpectedly, tears fell from Sakura's eyes, but she never noticed them. So, she was good for nothing…? 

"You mean you're not in love with her?" asked the other in surprise. "I thought you only went along with her because you had an interest in her." 

Chi Yuen laughed out loud this time. "You've got to be kidding! I want a woman, not a child. I don't enjoy playing with little children. Though," he mused, "completely duping her has been quite a bit of fun! I can't believe she never noticed how I intentionally separated her and that prince brat. She's far too trusting and naïve for her own good. I don't like my women to be so dumb." Not wanting to hear another word from his mouth, Sakura immediately stood up and ran down the hall, wiping her tears away. She had been such a fool, falling for everything he had said. He thought of her as nothing at all… 

"I _know_ I heard something this time," the cloaked person said, in a complete change of tone, heading to the door again. "Let's see-" 

"Don't bother," Chi Yuen ordered. The corners of his mouth turned up in a cruel smirk. "She's already gone." 

His companion shook their head resignedly. "You really are a mean one." Chi Yuen didn't bother justifying that with an answer. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

No matter how much he thought about it, Xiao Lang was still at a loss for a course of action. This wasn't at all like the time with Sakura, where leaving her behind was out of the question. She had nothing for her in that palace - on a second thought, the prince chided himself, she had a very faithful handmaiden - but aside from that, there was no one to protect her. He honestly believed that there was no way Shui Ken could love Sakura. Wing Kay, on the other hand, had a nice home and people that cared about her. Still, he wouldn't mind her accompaniment at all. 

"Perhaps," thought Xiao Lang, as he poked his right arm a bit with his left hand, "I can bring her with me and ask the Elders about it when I go to heal my arm. But what if they test her as they did Sakura?" He realized that, unlike Sakura, Wing Kay would be of "no use" to the magicians, being a normal person that lacked the special powers the rare few were given. He could still try, anyway… 

But, more important than seeing the council about his arm or about Wing Kay, he had to find Sakura. His left hand clenched in a tight first as he thought of Chi Yuen and his deceptions. He had to get Sakura back from that lying, despicable … 

Before he could brood over it further, the doors to his room suddenly burst open and Wing Kay stood there panting heavily as she leaned against the door, her arms filled with rolls of bandages. "Thank goodness," she sighed with relief. "You're still here…" Extremely exhausted, the girl sank to the floor, still leaning against the door, and still clutching the armful of bandage rolls. Immediately alert to the matter at hand, Xiao Lang got out of bed and knelt down, on one knee, by her side instantly. 

"What do you mean?" the prince asked, a look of concern on his face. "What happened to you?" 

"I was really worried that the guards had come to take you away," Wing Kay began, as soon as she resumed normal breathing operations. "When I left the store, I saw many guards outside, just within the edge of the forest. They seemed to be loitering around there and, for a moment, I wondered if it could be you and that they knew were you were. I ran back here as fast as possible because I wanted to be sure they didn't take Xiao Lang away…" 

Xiao Lang stared at Wing Kay for a moment, thinking rapidly. Why would there be so many guards in Zhongxian? As the doctor had said, Zhongxian was far from the capital. If Shui Ken had sent them, he wouldn't have sent many of them this far. Had they really discovered where he was? That would also put the doctor and Wing Kay in danger, too… But, if they knew he was here, why hadn't they acted yet? That was very unlike Shui Ken. He hadn't been diligently chasing them for months just to let him go for a few days… Unless… 

The pit in his stomach dropped. It couldn't be. It just couldn't be. His bangs covering his eyes, Xiao Lang stood up and grabbed his sword. Without a word, he strode out of the room and walked quickly down the hallway. 

"Wait, Xiao Lang!" cried Wing Kay, going after him. He paused for a moment and turned to face her. "Where are you going? 

"I know where Sakura is!" he answered. Without sparing another second, he turned around and broke into a run. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

A short while ago, blinded by her own tears, Sakura had run from the inn and, not watching where she was going, continued running in a straight line, right into the woods. Everything was jumbled up in her mind. Chi Yuen had lied to her… Xiao Lang was almost killed… He must be hurt somewhere, alone… She had no one else she could believe in… She had to find Xiao Lang… 

Stopping short at the edge of a small pond, Sakura dropped to the ground, burying her head in her arms, letting the tears flow faster. Something cold touched her neck and she realized it was the star pendant. It was all the fault of this pendant… It brought her nothing but trouble…Because of its powers, she was used for another's selfish purpose… Because of it, she became nothing more than a tool… Clutching the pendant tight in her hand, she yanked it off her neck, snapping the small chain it was on and threw it into the lake, only… 

She couldn't do it. She couldn't throw it away. Even when she tried to toss that heinous pendant, her own hand stopped her, not releasing the star from its grasp. She couldn't let go of the last link to her father, her old home… Her past… 

The father in her memory smiled at her, putting the necklace around her neck and closing the clasp. "Keep this to remember me," he said with a soft smile, "and your home. It'll help you where you're going now…" 

"Otousan…" she whispered, the tears falling harder, "Oniichan… I… I want to see you again!" 

"We can arrange that." 

Sakura suddenly froze at the unknown voice. Completely preoccupied earlier, she didn't hear the arrival of Shui Ken's guards. Biting her lip and holding back the tears, she slipped the pendant into a small pocket in her robes before turning around to face them, the defiant look never leaving her eyes. "What do you want from me?" she asked them coolly, hoping they couldn't detect the shakiness in her tone. 

"Oh, oh, the princess has some spirit in her, after all," mocked one of the guards. "She's not just a big crybaby, after all." 

"You know exactly what we're here for," piped up another guard. "We're going to bring you back to your prince, since you are his concubine and all. Plus, we'll get a nice reward if we capture you and bring you to him." 

The Japanese princess slowly got to her feet, mentally counting the number of guards. There were about nine in all. The problem was, she had nowhere to go, she realized, as she surveyed the situation. Being at the edge of the pond, the guards had surrounded her, cutting off any means of escape that wasn't via water. And they knew she couldn't swim, so there was no chance of her going through the water route. She was completely trapped. Sakura was well aware that she couldn't swim and knew that going by water was not an option. However, deciding between drowning and returning to Shui Ken, the choice wasn't difficult at all. Without another word, she turned around and dashed into the cold waters. 

Even if they were surprised by the princess' sudden action, one of the guards quickly hurried into the waters after her, seized her by the waist, and dragged her back to the shore. Sakura struggled to get out of his grasp, but completely in vain. She didn't have the strength to defeat such a man on her own. The leader of this particular group of guards walked up to her and slapped her hard, her head turning in the direction of the slap. She turned her head back to face him, glaring angrily, her cheek turning red from the slap, and any trace of her earlier tears gone. He would have liked to strike her harder, but Shui Ken wouldn't be at all happy with them to find visible bruises on his concubine. "Don't make our job any more difficult," he said callously. "We are supposed to bring you back to Shui Ken alive, not your dead body." He grabbed her chin with one hand and pulled her head close to his. "Do you understand what I just said?" he demanded, in a low menacing tone. Sakura pursed her lips, determined not to answer him. 

The head guard suddenly let go of her chin and fell forward, leaning against the princess' shoulder, to the surprise of both the guard holding Sakura captive and Sakura herself. He wasn't moving at all. But when the guard had fallen, Sakura's eyes widened at the sight of the man before her. Li Xiao Lang stood behind the head guard, breathing heavily. He pushed the guard away from Sakura, letting him fall to the ground, already unconscious. Without another word, he reached out with his left hand and aimed a heavy cuff at the guard holding Sakura, knocking him out instantly. When she was released from his grasp, the prince immediately pulled her over to his side with his left hand. With her by his side again, the pair turned around and fled. 

All this had mattered in a matter of seconds and the guards hadn't the time to react until now. Instantly, all the guards drew their swords and took chase. As Xiao Lang led Sakura deeper into the woods, trying to shake the guards off, Sakura noticed for the first time that Xiao Lang's right arm was in a strange looking brace and hardly moved at all. And although they hadn't run for very long, the prince already seemed to be tired out and wearier than usual. It must have been because of his fight with Chi Yuen, Sakura realized, and Xiao Lang still hadn't fully recovered yet. The prince suddenly stopped short behind a thick tree trunk and he held his left arm tight around Sakura, holding her close to him. He couldn't keep running, he knew that. Most of his energy had been spent trying to heal himself and he hadn't much left for fighting anyone, at this point. He was only able to get Sakura away from them because he had the element of surprise on his side. The guards weren't useless at all; they were skilled trackers and hunters. And now they were hunting something very important for their master. Xiao Lang only hoped that the trees would provide enough cover so that he could rest for a while before continuing. It was then that he saw that Sakura was trembling in his arms. 

"Hey," he said softly, in a soothing tone, "hey, what's wrong, Sakura?" 

Sakura hugged him tight, not believing that it was really him. "I didn't think I'd see you again…" she cried in a soft whisper. "It's my fault you're like this now…" 

"Not at all," Xiao Lang reassured her. His expression turned dark. "It was only because of my abilities. Or lack of. I'm not strong enough at all. I'm not strong enough to protect you. However," he added, looking straight into her eyes, "even if I'm really not strong enough, I'll do everything within my power to keep you safe." He was thoughtful for a moment. "And I wouldn't want Wing Kuen to be ashamed of me," he said, with a wry smile. He knew full well that it was his brother that had spoken to him when he was at death's doorstep just a few days earlier. 

"Xiao Lang…" Sakura whispered, the tears threatening to fall again. 

Xiao Lang suddenly clutched Sakura tighter, doubling over in pain. Before she could ask what was the matter, she felt something warm on her fingers: blood. The prince had been hit by an arrow. "We got him!" she heard someone cry in the distance. Xiao Lang, letting his guard down for but a moment, hadn't realized that his right shoulder was visible outside the trunk and one of the guards shot an arrow into his shoulder. He dropped to his knees and the princess went down with him, since he was unconsciously still holding onto her. He reached behind him and pulled out the arrow swiftly, more of his blood running down his arm and back, and threw the shaft to the ground. He then reached to unsheathe his sword and, holding it shakily in his left hand, tried gripping it tighter but dropping it soon afterward. He was feeling really dizzy again, the pain from the fresh wound numbing his mind. 

"Hang on, Xiao Lang, hold on," whispered Sakura, keeping him from falling to the ground as she used herself as his support. "I'll get you out of here, but don't lose consciousness yet, please." 

"Forget it," came a voice from under the bushes. Seven guards, save the ones that Xiao Lang had taken out of commission, had emerged from the shrubs, the trees, and the area surrounding them, encircling them completely. Each guard had their sword drawn. The one that had spoken stepped before Sakura and Xiao Lang, brandishing his sword. "We'll kill that stupid prince right here and now. Shui Ken wants you alive but I think he could care less if this treasonous prince is dead or not. So, move aside!" His blade was held above him, ready to strike down. 

"I won't," Sakura said firmly, eyes blazing. She wouldn't let anyone hurt Xiao Lang anymore. 

"Move!" growled the guard. "Or else, I can't guarantee that you'll return to your prince in one piece." Sakura obstinately turned her back to him and looked down at Xiao Lang, biting her lip. She would protect him with her own body if she had to and completely covered him from the view of the guard. "You asked for it!" he cried. He brought his sword down with a mighty swing. Sakura instantly closed her eyes tight, waiting to feel the blade slashing her back. But it never came. Instead, she heard a loud thump beside her, as if someone had fallen. Opening one eyelid, both eyes then widened when she saw the guard lying facedown on the grass, an arrow protruding from his back. She heard something whizzing past her ears and, similarly, the six other guards fell to the ground, completely unconscious. A lone figure emerged from the woods and Sakura was surprised to see a woman approach them, carrying a little bow and a quiver of arrows. The unknown girl quickly retrieved all her arrows by pulling them out from where they landed but, strangely, not a single drop of blood fell from where the arrow was removed. 

The woman knelt down by her side, a look of concern on her face. "Are you all right? Are you hurt anywhere?" 

"N-no, I'm all right," stammered Sakura in surprise. The girl smiled at her, relief etched across her features. She was taken aback by the other girl's beauty. Beautiful ink-black hair, eyes of the greenest jade, and the air of someone experienced with the world… The girl was helping Xiao Lang sit up and leaned him against the tree, wiping his brow with a cloth, as she quickly looked over his shoulder wound. 

"We've got to get you to the doctor quickly, Xiao Lang," she said, concern flooding back to her expression. "This shoulder wound needs immediate attention to." When she was about to stand up, Xiao Lang clamped a hand on her wrist, stopping her. 

"What did you do to those guards, Wing Kay?" he asked, rather weakly. His dizziness was taking over him, but he hadn't forgotten what he saw. Wing Kay had shot all those guards with her arrows and they dropped instantly. 

So this was Wing Kay, Sakura realized. This was the girl that Xiao Lang had always been in love with… She was so beautiful… No wonder he loves her so much, Sakura thought heartrendingly. 

"These arrows of mine," Wing Kay answered, pointing to her quiver as she deposited the arrows she retrieved, "have special properties when dipped into that little potion you saw in your room. If a normal person is hit by it, they instantly lose all of their energy and go unconscious for a few hours. However, if someone that can use magic gets hit, the same thing will happen, except they will also die as soon as their energy is drained. A friend of the doctor's gave it to me, saying that, even if I am female, I should learn to protect myself better." Turning to Sakura, she bowed to her slightly. "Hello, I'm Wong Wing Kay," she said, introducing herself. "Thank you for taking care of Xiao Lang the past few months." 

"I'm Kinomoto Sakura," Sakura said in return, but getting the feeling that Wing Kay already knew who she was. Wing Kay nodded and then helped Xiao Lang to his feet. 

"We better get this guy back to the inn as soon as possible so the doctor can treat his wounds," Wing Kay explained as she placed Xiao Lang's left arm around her neck and gently guided him out of the woods. Sakura followed beside them, unsure of what to do. She couldn't take Xiao Lang's other arm as it was held close to him, still tied to the brace. But Xiao Lang turned his head, a little groggily, to face her. 

"Stay near us, Sakura," he said, in a low voice, trying to focus most of his energy on walking at the same time. Sakura followed closely behind him, feeling a bit like a third wheel but, more than anything, she was relieved that she had found Xiao Lang… She could let go of the nightmare that had haunting her since she was apart from him. Never again did she want to be parted from the Chinese prince… 

And unbeknownst to her, the two masked people Sakura had always considered her saviours, Tan Shi Kuang and Yiu San Kong, were watching them from the distance as the trio made their way back to the town. These two had completely different plans in mind for the Japanese princess. The first step to their plans: getting rid of Prince Li Xiao Lang, using any means necessary. 

Author's Note: Well, how about that… Syaoran didn't really die, after all. ^_~ I could never kill that person off, at least, not so easily. =Þ Heh, no one got a heart attack when he "died", did they? ^_^* Sakura was just being evil, ehehe… 

And Wing Kay finally makes a (non-flashback) appearance! Though, things don't look too good for S+S if Syaoran still loves her, and his love being returned… They got a _lot_ more "lovey-dovey" between Syaoran and Wing Kay than I had originally intended. -o- I must say, this fic writes itself sometimes. Meh~ We'll see what happens, won't we? 

*hugs everyone that reviewed* I was both happy and pleasantly surprised at the number of people still with me on this fic. You've all motivated me to work faster and not diddle-dawdle with the fic. Thanks, everyone! 

Author's Note to rainbow dreamer: Good job! You guessed it right about the voice being Wing Kuen. ^_^ But, er, about the "why'd you make him die? I was beginning to like him", were you referring to Wing Kuen or Syaoran? 

Author's Note to LiL DreameR: Acks, TNC has the absolute _worst_ writer's blocks ever! I am so stuck on how to write the next chapter. _ But, if you'd like, I can e-mail you when I finish the chapter for TNC, too. Just let me know~ =) 

Author's Note to Jurei: Yes, you definitely count as somebody, Jurei-san. ^_^ Hahaha, I wonder, myself, how it's going to turn out at the very end… ^_^* I have some vague outlines and sketches for the upcoming chapters, but they only go as far as to the end of S+S's mission, and nothing past that… *sweatdrops* 

Author's Note to Rosie: Oh, wow, my site did all that, Rosie-san? That's so cool! ^___^ My main animanga site, The Animé Archives, has changed locations several times, for various reasons (usually because there's not enough space or bandwidth or just too many ads). We're currently located at and, I don't remember at the moment, but I think the site listed in my profile is my blog? But for animanga, TAA's the site you're looking for. =) 

Author's Note to Trulie Hope: I've never really considered TGS an angsty fic, to be honest. ^_^* But is it turning into one? Oh, dear… 

Author's Note to hannagrace: No, mommy, no love triangle between those particular three people. ^_^ Is the fic really that dark? I hadn't even realized that. Well, this chapter wasn't all that dark, ne? =Þ But, how strange; your review never appeared on the FF.N page, but I got the review alert anyway via e-mail. o_O *pokes FF.N* What's with ya? 

And thank you Janny, laura, Phoniex-dragonmoon, Umiko Morimoto, Duckie-bumblebeez, Yukimi Takiro, Devie Saves, tagrina, silverymare, White Blossoms, and meemee for your reviews! 

*Sakura   
~The Animé Archives Team


	17. Surprise Visitor

**The Guiding Star**

Surprise Visitor: Chapter Seventeen

By: Sakura

The day dawned to a beautiful morning, with the sun shining high above the clouds in the light blue sky. Birds chirped at the arrival of this brand new day, and a princess awoke from her peaceful slumber. It was the first time in a long time that she had able to sleep without dreaming. Although dreams could be either good or bad, Sakura would rather have no dreams at all if she were to get nightmares like the one before. 

The doors to her room opened and Wing Kay stepped in, carrying a tray that held her breakfast and placed it down on the table. "How are you feeling this morning?" she asked Sakura, after they had shared their morning greetings. 

"I'm all right now," Sakura replied, smiling faintly. Wing Kay was really nice and everything but Sakura just never knew what to say in her presence. Still, she wanted to be friends with her, above all else. Wing Kay returned the smile warmly. 

"After you finish your breakfast, Xiao Lang wants to see you," the older woman said, scooping soup out of the small container and transferring it to a bowl. "He's been really worried about you," she added softly, giving Sakura the bowl. Silence followed as neither could think of what to say to the other. "Well," Wing Kay said finally, getting up again, "I have to go help the doctor. If you need anything, just call for me." When she reached the door, Sakura's voice stopped her. 

"Wing Kay?" The older woman turned around and faced her questioningly. "I…" Sakura said, trying to find the words, "I hope things can work out between you and Xiao Lang." She smiled brightly, ignoring the crushing pain in her heart. "I know he still really loves you, Wing Kay." 

Wing Kay was taken aback by her words. It wasn't what she had expected to hear from the princess at all, since she believed that Sakura harboured some sort of feelings of love for the prince. Smiling at the princess again, she replied, "Thank you, Sakura. I hope so, too." When she had left the room, closing the doors behind her, Sakura stared down at her soup, dully turning the spoon round and round in the bowl. Love would never come to her ever again. She had to let go of her feelings for Xiao Lang, since they would never be returned. Just as she had let go of her feelings of Tsukishiro Yukito, when he never came back to her, even if she still wore his ring on the fourth finger of her right hand. But, in this case, knowing Xiao Lang was alive and well and, most importantly, happy with Wing Kay, was good enough for her. She would be happy if the one she loved was happy… 

Taking a deep breath, she released it all at once, and realized that that conclusion was really just enough for her. It was all she needed right now. And yet, it still felt so terribly lonely… 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Xiao Lang, still in his inner white buttoned-down shirt and pants, had been working on his morning exercises in his room, with the center table and chairs pushed to one side of the room, when Sakura entered and took a seat on the side. He stopped when she settled in and granted her a gentle smile. She had already told him everything that had happened between her and Chi Yuen the night before and the prince had been absolutely livid at all the lies the latter had tricked Sakura with. He had also filled her in on his own encounter with the man and how he had ended up in the condition she had first seen him in. 

"I've been thinking quite a bit about what you said yesterday," Xiao Lang said, taking the seat next to her, his brow furrowed in thought. "Could that cloaked person be Tan Shi Kuang? It couldn't be Yiu San Kong, since his voice isn't deep at all. And Shi Kuang's also never stopped reminding us every time we meet of how he's going to take you away when the time comes. Could he have paired up with Chi Yuen to try to separate the two of us and use that opportunity to get you? I wouldn't put it past him to do something like that," he added in a low mutter. Sakura didn't answer him. For some reason, she just didn't want to believe that Shi Kuang could - and would - do such a thing. She had always seen him as a good person…why else would he have rescued her so many times? But, stealing a glance at Xiao Lang, she knew he would immediately say it was to make her think he wasn't bad at all, just as Chi Yuen had once done. 

"And I wonder why Chi Yuen wants the rings so much," continued the prince. "We don't know what their importance is yet, since the Elders refuse to tell us anything, but Chi Yuen seems to know it. Not to mention that he even has the brother sword to my own dragon sword." Holding his head in his left hand, Xiao Lang cursed silently in frustration. There were so many pieces to this puzzle but none of them fit anywhere or had a connection to anything else! 

"Are you going to go back to the Elders to heal your arm?" asked Sakura finally. "Perhaps they will give us more information this time, especially now since someone else has possession of one of the rings…" she trailed off, remembering that it was her own fault that Chi Yuen now had his hands on one of the rings he coveted. However, Xiao Lang seemed to understand exactly what was going on in her mind. 

"Don't even think something like that, Sakura," he reprimanded gently, "because it wasn't your fault. You hadn't known Chi Yuen's true nature then. And what happened to my arm," he added, patting the cast around his arm, "is also not your fault. That was all due to my inexperience and the fact that he was more powerful than I was, irritating as it is to admit." He suddenly stood up, unsheathed his sword, and held it somewhat unsteadily with his left hand. "Even if my right arm can never be healed, I'll work twice as hard to be even better with my sword using my left hand. More reason to train myself better and not be as lazy as I had become after Master had passed on. I won't let myself be defeated by such a man again," he ended, sheer determination in his tone. 

"Xiao Lang…" Sakura began, "you…" 

"I almost forgot!" the prince exclaimed at the same time Sakura had spoken, and thus, had never heard her soft-spoken voice. He strode to his bed, rummaged through his few clothes until he found a tiny ragged pouch, one much smaller than the one that contained Wing Kuen's braid, and one that Sakura had never seen before. He walked back to Sakura and gave it to her. "This is for you," he said with a smile, answering her questioning look. "A birthday present to you." 

"How did you know it was my birthday?" Sakura asked, her eyes wide. With everything that had happened over the past few days, Sakura had forgotten herself that it was the day she turned seventeen. 

"I didn't really know," he admitted sheepishly. "I guess you could say, I just had a feeling…" 

Perplexed, the princess untied the pouch and turned it over in the palm of her hand. Something long and thin slipped out of the bag and fell into her palm: a gold necklace. Sakura blinked in surprise. "Xiao Lang, this…" 

"It's for your star pendant," he said, taking the necklace from her and smiling at it fondly. "Since the other chain broke, you can use this instead for it." He held out his hand for her pendant and she wordlessly gave it to him. 

"Where could you have gotten something like this?" Sakura asked in wonder, as he slipped the pendant into the necklace. "This is a really valuable object…" 

"It was my mother's," he answered, walking behind Sakura. He placed the necklace around her neck and closed the clasp. "It's the only thing I have left of hers and-" 

"But why something so important?" interrupted Sakura in astonishment, as she stood up to face him. "Your mother's keepsake belongs to you! A stranger shouldn't receive so precious a gift!" 

"You're not a stranger, Sakura, not to me," Xiao Lang answered, his hands placed on her shoulders. "You're an important person to me. I don't think my mother would be so thrilled that I let something 'go to waste', just sitting in that pouch. I'm sure she'd be happy if someone like you were to put it to good use. Besides," he added, admiring the effect of the star sitting nestled in the hollow of her throat, "it's perfect for you, Sakura." Sakura took the necklace and pendant in her hand and stared down at it, her eyes hidden from view. Trying to find the words to express what she felt...it was so difficult… "Sakura?" Xiao Lang said, wondering what was the matter and leaning forward to get a closer look at her. The princess took a step back, her eyes still hidden by her bangs. 

"T-thank you, Prince Li," she whispered, so softly that Xiao Lang could barely hear a word she said, "For giving me such an important item… Thank you…" She suddenly whirled around, opened the doors, and fled from his room, returning to the sanctuary of her own room, leaving Xiao Lang watching after her in bewilderment. Shutting the doors behind her and leaning against them, she slid to the floor, hugging her legs to her chest. She let the tears stream down her cheeks as she buried her head into her arms, breaking into quiet sobs. 

"How can I possibly forget how much I love him," Sakura wondered despairingly, amidst her sobs, "when he acts like that to me? I just can't… I love him so much…" 

~*~*~*~*~*~

After a tearful farewell with Tai Sun, especially on Wing Kay's part, the trio had set out, heading back towards the council's home. From their current location, and by foot, it would take them many weeks to reach there and Xiao Lang didn't want to waste any time. Most of the time, they had camped out, avoiding towns and crowds of people, trying to be less conspicuous but, after so many days, it was necessary for them to restock on their food and medicine supply. Xiao Lang's arm was hurting him a great deal, but he put up with it bravely, refusing to let it bother him, and most definitely not letting Sakura see how much it pained him. Of all people, he knew she blamed herself the most for what happened and he didn't want to let her worry about it at all. 

It was late afternoon when they reached Fankuai and Wing Kay was choosing foods to buy and to bring along with them from the market stalls. Sakura, a little tired out, leaned against the wall of the stall for support, with Xiao Lang beside her. He knew they had better find a place to rest and retire for the night. When they first set out to look for the rings, Xiao Lang and Sakura had a horse they could use. However, after they had set out on the Yangtze River, they had sold their only horse for a boat. The boat, long since capsized, was no longer even an option, especially since they were travelling by land now. As Xiao Lang wasn't a hundred percent fit, using a horse again would draw too much attention, something he didn't want to happen at the moment. 

Suddenly, a figure dressed all in black dashed into the alleyway Xiao Lang and Sakura were standing in, as if he were being chased. He leaned against the wall opposite the prince and princess and seemed to notice them for the first time. He was wearing black cloths that covered his entire face, except his eyes, and he stared at them for a moment. Xiao Lang and Sakura stole a glance at him and then looked at each other, deciding not to ask why the man was there. However, without wasting another second, the man swiftly grabbed Sakura, one arm covering her mouth to keep her from making a sound, the other holding her, and leapt clear of the alley, running down the street. Xiao Lang, recovering his senses from the sudden abduction, chased after him. Wing Kay, after paying for the vegetables she bought from the stall, quickly followed them. The masked man suddenly ran into an inn and disappeared from sight. Xiao Lang ran into the inn and was greeted by a confused busboy. 

"The guy that just entered," he said, trying to catch his breath, "where did he go?" 

"H-he went and took a seat at the table furthest in the back," the boy answered him, rather frightened, "He told me to tell you to go there and see him." Wordlessly, Xiao Lang made his way to the back, ignoring the stares and jeers from other patrons of why a "poor farmer" was in such a prestigious inn and restaurant as the one he was currently in. At a table half hidden by shadows, in a far corner, he saw Sakura sitting there, her hands tied behind her back and her mouth bound to keep her from screaming. Beside her sat the man that had kidnapped her, his right hand resting easily on the table and his left clamped tight on Sakura's shoulder. 

"Take a seat, Prince Li," the man said, gesturing to the chair across from himself. Not seeing any other choice, Xiao Lang warily took the seat, glaring at the man opposite him as he sat down. 

"So you know who I am," Xiao Lang said coldly. "What do you want with us?" The man ignored him and turned to Sakura instead. 

"I'm very sorry for doing that so abruptly to you, princess," he said apologetically, as he untied her hands and removed the handkerchief from her mouth. "I really didn't mean to manhandle you like that. I guess I just expected a little too much from the prince." He then turned to Xiao Lang, watching him coolly. "You haven't improved a single bit, stupid prince," he said in a disappointed tone, "if the princess could be taken away from you so easily the second you let your guard down." Both Xiao Lang and Sakura were both mystified at who the man was, until he removed his mask, revealing someone with flashing dark grey eyes and long forest green hair: Li Yu Hong. It was at that moment that Wing Kay, finally catching up with her friends, arrived at the table. "Wing Kay?" the abductor said in surprise, changing his gaze from the prince to the newcomer. "I didn't expect to see you here." 

"What are you doing here, Yu Hong?" the girl asked in return, equally surprised. Before anyone could say anything, Yu Hong put his hand up, silencing them all. 

"I reserved two rooms for us upstairs," he said quietly, glancing around to make sure no one was looking or observing them. "It'll be easier - and safer - if we talk away from this crowd of people." He indicated to all the people having their meal in the restaurant. Leaving the crowd as they travelled up the stairs, Xiao Lang couldn't figure out why Yu Hong, of all people, was there and his reason for being there. But, as much as he hated to admit it, Yu Hong had been right. He hadn't protected Sakura properly at all. If Yu Hong had been a foe rather than a friend, though saying friend was really stretching it, Sakura could have been lost to him forever… 

Upon reaching the second landing and Yu Hong showing them their rooms before heading back downstairs, Xiao Lang was about to follow Sakura into a room when Wing Kay stopped him. "I've always shared a room with Sakura," he said, "so that I could protect her no matter when it is." 

"Xiao Lang," Wing Kay protested, "that's unorthodox! You don't share a room like that with a girl of no relation in this day and age." 

"But-" 

"Don't worry about it," she interrupted him, pushing him out the door, "I can protect Sakura for you, if necessary. Go share a room with Yu Hong, instead." With him outside, she closed the doors and turned to face Sakura with a smile. "Boys," she said, shaking her head, "always acting like little kids." Sakura returned the smile feebly as she put her things on the table, next to where Wing Kay had left her own bag, bow, and quiver of arrows. To be honest, she had never minded sharing a room with Xiao Lang. However, Wing Kay had been quite right in saying that in times like these, sharing a room with someone not related to you was frowned upon, even if you didn't share the same bed when sleeping. If her older brother were alive, she could just imagine what he would say… There was a knock on the door. "Xiao Lang, if you're going to argue with me again…" Wing Kay muttered to herself as she went to open the door. Yu Hong was at the door, a solemn expression on his face. 

"I'm still a little disappointed in you," he said to Wing Kay, after greeting both of the room's occupants. 

"Oh?" queried Wing Kay, letting him into the room. Sakura, noticing the somewhat private conversation, melted into the background and slowly made her way toward the door, wanting to give them their privacy. "What did I do?" 

"More like what you didn't do," the older man replied with a wry smile. "Why did Xiao Lang get a goodbye kiss from you four years ago and I didn't?" Wing Kay seemed to be at a loss for words. 

"I…" she began, rather hesitantly. "How did you know I gave him such a thing?" She remembered the day well, as it was the last time she had seen Xiao Lang - had expected it to be the last time - before he re-entered her life again a few days ago. 

~*Flashback*~

Even if the morning was damp and foggy, and despite his terrible cold, Xiao Lang still practiced his routine in the courtyard in front of his house. Now eight years later, the prince never once missed his morning exercises Wu Jin Chi taught him when he was five years old. He did it to train his mind and body for he still didn't deem himself to be strong enough. It was his dream for the magician Elders to send him on a big important mission for them and he knew he had to work hard to be up to par with their standards. When the day began, Xiao Lang believed it to be nothing more than an ordinary day, with nothing much to look forward to. Little did he realize that that was the day he would part from his most important person, for what he honestly had believed to be forever. 

The cold had dulled his senses somewhat, and coupled with the dreariness of the morn, the prince failed to hear the approaching footsteps. That is, until someone reached out and hugged him from behind. Startled, he paused and slowly turned his head to see who it was. He certainly did not expect to see Wing Kay there. Her arms were wrapped tight around his waist and her head was resting on his back. Even if he was two years younger than her, Xiao Lang had recently received a growth spurt, resulting in his being taller than her. "Wing Kay," he said lightly, patting her hands, "what's wrong? Why are you here?" Wing Kay released her hold on him and Xiao Lang turned to face her, cupping her face in his hands. He slowly moved her head upward to face him and noticed the tears in her eyes, threatening to fall. Unseen to either of them, Yu Hong, who had been on his way to deliver a message to Xiao Lang from the council, paused at the archway and didn't venture in when he saw them, knowing it was not his place to. Instead, he watched them from afar, outside. 

"I'm leaving soon," she whispered quietly. Xiao Lang abruptly froze in place. What did she mean by that? "My father is going to take me back home since he says I shouldn't stay around here too long," she continued. The prince relaxed, relieved that what he feared when she had first spoken those words was not to be true at all. He slipped his arms around her slim form and held her close to him. Wing Kay's father was Wong Hsiang En, one of the emperor's advisors, and someone that Xiao Lang didn't especially like. Hsiang En actually disapproved with his daughter's association with the fifteenth prince, one reason being that he was so far down the line and the fact that he was younger than her, as well, he had a low opinion of Yu Hong, who was only a distant relation to his emperor. If she were to spend time with any if the Li family, he wished she would be with more sophisticated and charismatic princes like Shui Ken or Chi Shing, the one next in line to be emperor. Overall, though, it didn't matter which prince she associated with since Hsiang En had already arranged for his daughter to be married to another man, and this was something that no one can back out on, even if she had a prince for a suitor. 

"Even if you can't come here anymore," Xiao Lang said cheerfully, "we can still come and visit you." Wing Kay stared at him for a moment and the prince then realized that there was a melancholy air surrounding her. "Wait…" he said quietly, fearing the worst, "your father's not making you marry that man now is he…?" Wing Kay shook her head. 

"Not exactly. I'm going to leave," she said in a low voice, "run away from my home the moment I can. Xiao Lang," she whispered, her eyes shining with tears, "I don't want to be with someone that's not you. I don't want to marry anyone other than you. I love you so much…only you!" The prince instantly pulled her to him and held her in a crushing embrace, forgetting in the moment that he was still sick. This was the first time she had told him she loved him; they were words he wanted to hear all his life. 

"If you're going to run away," Xiao Lang said quickly, "let me come with you. Let me stay together with you. We can run away together and always be together forever." He tenderly took her face in his hands again and looked into her eyes. "I just want you, Wing Kay," he said, fierceness in his eyes, "because, I love you." The tears in her eyes finally fell, streaming down her face, but she quickly turned to look at the ground, not letting him see them. Slowly, she pulled herself away from him but he stopped her by catching her hands in his and she spoke again, still facing the ground. 

"Be realistic, Xiao Lang," she chided gently. "You know you can't come with me. You have duties to your family. You can't drop them for me like this. I _won't_ let you sacrifice them for me either, because I'm not worth that." She finally looked up to face him and it hurt her heart to see his pale face watching her. "I have to go," she said sadly, "because I don't want the life my father has thrust upon me. However, I can never have the life I do want. Because I was promised to another, I cannot marry someone else. It'd be better if I just disappeared entirely…" Xiao Lang didn't answer her. He just knew in his heart that he didn't want her to leave him… 

"Stay, Xiao Lang," she said softly, reaching up to touch his still boyish face. He had grown up so quickly from the boy she first met five years ago… "Even if we never meet again, I'll always love you, wherever I am…definitely…" With her head tilted up to face his, she put one hand behind his head and drew him close to her and kissed him. Xiao Lang's eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly closed them, kissing her in return. 

Wing Kay stepped back and turned around, not wanting to face him any longer. "I asked my father to give me a few minutes to do one last thing and I have to return to him soon," she said quietly. She looked up to the sky, sadly reflecting how the dark clouds mirrored the feelings she felt inside her. It slowly began to drizzle, as the grey clouds grew darker. "Goodbye," she said suddenly, and she ran from him, never looking back. She ran past Yu Hong and never saw him as she wiped the tears that fell non-stop, the tears mixing with the rainwater that fell from the sky. He watched her retreating back, feeling something stir in his heart, feelings like envy, hatred, and a deep sadness. Xiao Lang stood rooted to one spot, watching her leave as well, his mind reeling from what had just happened, and his heart feeling awfully numb. It was only moments later that Yu Hong found the prince crumbled to the ground in a dead faint as the drizzle turned to pouring rain. Xiao Lang had run a very high fever and was unconscious for many days, bedridden the entire time. It would be a long time before he awoke to feel the crushing pain in his heart… 

~*End Flashback*~

That had always been a day Yu Hong was unable to erase from his mind, even if he wanted to. He had cared too much for the girl to be able to forget her easily. "I was there," he said finally, not wanting to mention how he had heard her tell Xiao Lang that she loved him and only him, "and accidentally saw the two of you together before you left." He decided it would be better not to tell her of how the prince had collapsed and fallen deathly ill soon after she disappeared. Knowing her personality, she would feel completely responsible for it all… Wing Kay studied the man for a few moments, her expression unreadable. 

"You know that I can never love you that way," she said slowly, wanting to make her feelings known clearly, once and for all. Yu Hong only nodded his reply. Without another word, Wing Kay tiptoed up, held his cheek with one hand and kissed him in a similar fashion as the one she gave Xiao Lang four years ago. "Goodbye," she said quietly. Before she could withdraw her hand, Yu Hong unconsciously brought his hand up and held it fast, still pressing it to his cheek. Seconds later, he released it and turned away from her. 

"Sakura!" he said suddenly, turning to face the Japanese princess. She had been slowly inching to the door, intending to leave the room when he startled her with his call, freezing her on the spot. He gave her a soft smile, one Sakura had never seen before, in the few times she had met him. "There's something I need to discuss with you," he told her, taking her arm and half-leading, half-dragging the girl toward the door. Sakura acquiesced somewhat reluctantly, remembering the last time she had a "talk" with him at the home of the Li magicians. Saying no more, he pulled the doors opened and the two stepped into the hallway. Sakura was surprised to see Xiao Lang standing outside the room by the door. And he seemed to be restraining his anger. 

Xiao Lang was looking for Yu Hong when he saw the latter enter the girls' room. Worried for their sake, he had stationed himself by the door and heard everything that was said inside. Jealousy has stirred in his heart and he hated Yu Hong more than anyone at that moment. Xiao Lang and Yu Hong watched each other for what seemed like hours, each with cold, indifferent expressions on their faces. But before either emitted a word, Yu Hong pushed Xiao Lang into the room and closed the doors behind him. Taking a deep breath and then releasing it, Yu Hong turned back to Sakura with a faint smile on his lips. "Let's go," he told her, leading her away from the room. 

The prince stared at the closed doors, wondering what Yu Hong was thinking and where he was taking Sakura. Wing Kay walked up to him and gently tugged his sleeve and he turned around to look at her. "Is something the matter?" she asked, her head tilted slightly in concern. Xiao Lang refused to answer and said nothing. Wing Kay instantly understood what was the problem. She slipped her arms around his waist and held him tight. "Don't be jealous," she reassured him, in her quiet voice. "I could never ever feel the same way toward Yu Hong. He could never be more than an old friend to me. You're the only one I've ever loved – will ever love…" Xiao Lang pulled away from her a bit, and looked down into the eyes of his beloved. He knew she wasn't lying at all… 

Moving closer to her again, he enveloped the woman in his arms and lightly kissed her forehead as he held her in his comforting embrace. However, Wing Kay had no idea that that matter was not the only thing he was concerned about. No matter what, the prince simply could not dispel his worry for Sakura, even if he vaguely knew there was really nothing to worry about. What did Yu Hong want to talk to her about? What could he possibly want with her? Where did he take her? Even as he held the woman he loved, the prince couldn't help it for, in his mind, everything was about Sakura and only her… 

Author's Note: *sighs* Back when FF.N allowed underscores, my name was unique; "Sakura_Kinomoto". No one else had that name but me. Then underscores were removed. And with the new naming thing, I became "Sakura Kinomoto1". _ So, I changed it to "lil saku", daddy's nickname for me. ^_^ It was a toss up between "baby saku" (mommy's nickname) and "lil saku", but since daddy gave me the nickname first, I chose the latter. Sorry, mommy. ;_; 

Has anyone here read CLAMP's latest manga? Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE? Well, we can almost think of this fic as taking place in another world similar to Earth, rather than having it set in the past. XD It is an "alternate universe" fic, after all, just like how Tsubasa has all those alternate worlds. ^_~ 

When I was sorting out my old reviews (Sakura actually saves all her reviews, crazy girl =Þ *hugs everyone that reviews*), I noticed that more people reacted to my killing off Wing Kuen than Syaoran. That's pretty interesting, actually. ^_^* 

About the whole thing with Syaoran being in love with another girl that's not Sakura and how S+S may never come to be, I just wanted to say that, if they are each other's destined person, no matter what happens, they will always find their way to each other in the end. Have faith in them. And, you mustn't forget that I love S+S very much! ^_~ 

This chapter actually had way more happening than what you've just read, like the sealing of another ring. Unfortunately, it was getting way too long and I had to chop the chapter in half. -o- So the ring-sealing bit will be in the next chapter for sure. Any idea which ring it might be? =) And, I have a thorough outline of what's to happen in the next chapter, so it shouldn't take too long to write. ^_^ …hopefully. _ 

For a while now, I've wanted to make a site just for TGS. One reason was to post all the nice fanart that has been done for it. Two is for art I want to draw. Three is for all the chara profiles and whatnot. What do you think? Do you like the idea of a website? 

Author's Note to Red-Emerald: Ah! I just realized that FF.N didn't allow any html coding in the chapter I posted. @_@ So here's TAA's website url: . Shi Kuang and San Kong are actually pretty important, though much of their role hasn't been introduced yet. If you don't see them playing a big part in the next chapter, then they will definitely be in the chapter following that one, so watch out for them! ^_^ 

Author's Note to Devie Saves: Well, stuff can't actually stop "happening" to Syaoran since he's one of the main characters, him and Sakura both. =) If stuff stopped happening to either of them, there'd be no more story to write. ^_^* 

Author's Note to OtakuNoHime: Hehe, Cardcaptor Sakura is one of those series for me where I love _every_ single character. XD I've also always been a strong supporter of the CCS canon couplings and Eriol and Tomoyo is _not_ canon. =P I really can't see that coupling either. *Sakura is a very, very avid supporter for Eriol and Kaho* ^_^ But, to each their own. =) And, for the record, Kaho is _not_ a pedophile because Eriol is _not_ a child (and no, this has nothing to do with him being a half-reincarnation of Clow Read =Þ). But, I'll close my lid for the moment and save everything for my Eriol/Kaho fic. ^_^* (which needs an update desperately…along with my other fics… _) 

Author's Note to ChErRi)*(DrEaMeR: "And it's pronounced 'about', not 'a boot'!" XD Ah, such an interesting commercial. ^_^* Even if it _was_ for beer. =Þ 

Author's Note to Linky-chan: I'm really happy you still like this fic and even happier that you like my characters. ^_^ I always think that, if Wing Kay didn't happen to be Syaoran's other love interest, then maybe people would like her more. But, you like her despite all that, and she really is a nice person, so I'm really happy! ^___^ And, if you ever want to show me your doodles, I'd love to see them! XD I need the time to start drawing them out myself. ^_^* 

And thanks to s jus me, silverymare, Yukimi Takiro, Piccoleia Star, Endl3ss Sorrow, cherryblossomsakura2111, MoshiMoshiQueen, "Anonymous" (^_^*), mommy, and Final Fantasy Princess for your reviews~!! Every single review is greatly appreciated on my part. =D 

*Sakura   
~The Animé Archives Team


	18. Unexpected Encounters

**The Guiding Star**

Unexpected Encounters: Chapter Eighteen

By: Sakura

From the moment they had stepped into the room and Sakura had settled into a chair, Yu Hong had paced the ground before her in a rather agitated matter. Sakura said nothing to him, as it appeared he was deep in thought and didn't want to be disturbed. But then he abruptly stopped and turned to face her with one of his feeble smiles. "You're a really strong person," he told her quietly, in a voice Sakura had never heard him use when she briefly met him in the past. Taking a few steps closer to her, he continued. "Despite how much you love that prince," he said, "you don't seem to mind him being together with another woman at all." He leaned down to her and watched her carefully. "Even though your eyes look so lonely…" 

"Ano…" Sakura began, a little hesitantly, looking away, "I'm really not all that strong." She looked up at him and smiled weakly. "Really, as long as the one I love is happy, then I'm happy, too. Even if the one he loves isn't me." Yu Hong suddenly drew Sakura forward into his warm embrace. "Yu Hong?" Sakura asked questioningly, her face colouring slightly. 

"You _are_ strong, Sakura," he told her firmly. "You're a really strong girl. You mustn't ever doubt your strength. You just need to have greater confidence in yourself." As if suddenly realizing what he was doing, he hastily released her from his hold and dropped into the chair beside her in a slouch, seemingly exhausted in spirit, a hand draped over his head. He lifted his hand slightly and glanced over at Sakura. "Does Xiao Lang know how you feel about him?" he asked her. Sakura only shook her head in response. Yu Hong dropped his hand back on his head with an exasperated sigh. "That prince is a complete moron if he can't see your feelings for him at all!" The older man lapsed back into silence. 

"Yu Hong," Sakura said, somewhat timidly, not so sure as how to address him, "you are really strong, too. You called me out so as to give the two of them privacy, ne? You still love Wing Kay, don't you? And yet you did that much for them." The man abruptly sat up, his head resting on his clasped hands, his eyes staring forward. 

"No, Sakura," he said finally, shaking his head, "you're wrong. I'm not strong, at least, nowhere near as strong as you are. I was really surprised to see Wing Kay again, most definitely. I felt that emotion more than any other. But when I saw her, it dawned to me, right then and there, that I really didn't love her in the same way anymore. I truly loved her once, but those feelings have subsided to something not unlike friendship. I realized that I wanted nothing more than that. I don't know what happened, but along the way, those feelings have just changed." He hung his head, his hands resting on the back of his head. "When I asked for that kiss, I guess I just needed closure. I needed the 'goodbye kiss' that would lock my old feelings away forever, feelings that would never resurface again." He sat up again and smiled at Sakura sadly. "I didn't give her and Xiao Lang their space because of the 'I would be happy as long as the one I love was happy'," he admitted, shamefacedly. "It was no courageous deed as that. If I did still care about her that way, I'd have continued pursuing her, until I got what I wanted. I can't be a kind person at all." 

"You are a kind person!" Sakura declared resolutely. "Otherwise, why would you help us by getting rooms for us and everything?" Yu Hong suddenly laughed. 

"You consider something like that a 'kind' action?" he asked, amidst his chuckles. When they had subsided, he continued. "I have no real idea why I helped you, to be honest with you," Yu Hong admitted. "My reason for being in this town is because I have a mission for the elders and I just happened to see your group when I was combing this place. At first, I only wanted to test Xiao Lang, to see how much he has changed over the months and, hopefully, improved. But I was really astonished to see him injured so badly. That right arm looks like it's completely finished." He turned to face Sakura and was only greeted by her melancholy expression. 

"It was all my fault," she confessed. She explained to him about her separation from Xiao Lang during those few days and how Wing Kay had come to join their group. "As a Li magician," Sakura said, a hopeful look on her face, "do you think you can heal Xiao Lang's arm?" 

"I'm afraid not," Yu Hong replied, shaking his head. Sakura's face fell and she said nothing. "Unfortunately, I don't have the kind of powers to heal Xiao Lang's arm. I can see now why you were in such a hurry to return to the Li council's home, however, now is not the time to go there." Sakura looked up at him wordlessly. "Prince Li Shui Ken had arrived at their home a few weeks ago," he said, answering her unasked question, "and he's stationed many guards there, in hopes of catching Xiao Lang and you if you return there. It isn't safe if you head there now at all. But, another thing the council told me if I ran into you in this town is that there's a ring located around the vicinity of this place and that it'd be better for you to stick around here until it's found. And since I'm here for the time being, I can help you all out with the best of my abilities." 

Sakura stared at him for a few moments before breaking into a big smile. "You've changed from the first time I met you," she said cheerfully, smiling brightly at him. Yu Hong immediately shook his head. 

"No, I haven't," he replied shortly, walking toward the door. Immediately regretting his cold tone, he paused by the doors and said, a little more softly, "I think some of the bitterness in me from before has died a little, but I don't really believe I've really changed that much from back then." He opened the doors and walked out of the room, leaving the princess alone. Privately, Sakura disagreed with his words. Truly, Yu Hong was a kind person deep down inside, even if he wouldn't admit it. Something in his life may have embittered him for a long time, but he was healing from those wounds and becoming a better man. This was something Sakura honestly believed. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

"I know we still owe you for getting us a nice place to stay in," Xiao Lang said, in a rather cold tone, "but was it really necessary for you to come along with us today, as well?" 

"I'm only here because I promised someone I'd help out for now," Yu Hong answered, equally aloofly, "and you may as well consider my annoying you by being here as your repayment." Both sides cast each other withering glares and neither said much else. 

Since early morning, the small group had been searching for the fourth ring. Unfortunately, the elders did not tell Yu Hong which ring it was that was located around Fankuai and they had to rely entirely on Sakura's key to find it. But they hadn't had much luck with the key, either. It also wasn't helping much that Xiao Lang was still suspicious of Yu Hong and that neither had solved their differences. There had never been any positive feelings between them. Sakura sighed inwardly, glancing at the two male magicians. It seemed almost useless to ask them to be nice to each other. But at least they were cooperating this time, despite the fact they mumbled insults at one another every now and then. 

With his hands resting on the back of his head, Yu Hong looked up at the sky, staring at nothing in particular. "I don't get why the Elders would entrust you with this kind of mission," he muttered to himself, though perhaps a little too loudly. "If I got it, I'd have been finished this a long time ago." In a matter of seconds, the older man found himself roughly shoved against the trunk of a tree, facing the prince, who still gripped the man's collar with his left hand. 

"Xiao Lang!" both Sakura and Wing Kay gasped in surprise, but he ignored them. 

"Just stop it already," Xiao Lang said angrily, through clenched teeth, his hold on the other's collar tightening. "If you don't like it, don't keep grumbling about it to me. Tell the Elders yourself." Yu Hong looked away in annoyance for a moment. He really hated having to work with a prince, especially this one. Still… Yu Hong placed his left hand on Xiao Lang's shoulder and suddenly pushed him away, off to the side. Both men hit the ground, and each somersaulted back into a crouched position. The prince, tightening the bandage around his arm that had loosened when he rolled on the ground, glared at the other for what he did. But Yu Hong wasn't looking at him. Following his gaze, Xiao Lang's eyes widened. Several long needles were now adorning the tree trunk, right where the two men had been standing before… 

"Judging from the speed of that attack," Yu Hong said quietly, "those things would have pierced through the both of us." Sakura's hand, which had been clenched around her pendant the whole time, released the star from her grip at that moment. For the first time, she noticed that it was glowing a faint shade of brown. Everyone around her also saw the change in the star. 

"It must be the wood spirit," Xiao Lang said, dusting himself off as he stood up. "Look," he added, pointing to the trunk nailed with arrows. The trunk was absorbing the thin wooden shafts and they soon disappeared from sight. As this happened, the atmosphere around them suddenly became very dark and oppressive…a feeling that the prince did not like one bit. Moments later, more arrows were being shot at them and Xiao Lang and Yu Hong immediately unsheathed their swords. The former was able to easily deflect them while the latter cut down all the arrows before they hit their target. 

Wing Kay had already readied her own arrows at this point and fired several of them in the direction the wood spirit's arrows had come from. But before they could go very far, the branches from the surrounding trees entwined themselves, forming a sturdy shield, and they watched as the arrows bounced harmlessly off them. Remembering his experiences with the water and wind spirits, Xiao Lang realized that, even with the wood spirit, his sword was the only one it feared… Yu Hong's sword could not do much against it and Wing Kay's arrows were useless. 

While he was still deep in thought, the roots of the trees around the group roughly wretched themselves from the ground, and began flailing wildly, swinging at anything and everything in its way. Xiao Lang's eyes widened when he saw Sakura standing directly in its path, with her back facing the roots but before he could reach her or tell her to watch out, Yu Hong had easily picked her up and leapt out of harm's way, to a safer spot where the trees were still immobile. Seeing the gentle expression on Yu Hong's face and Sakura slightly blushing as she looked up to him caused Xiao Lang to feel a slight stab of pain inside of his chest. Just why did it hurt him so much? He honestly couldn't understand it… 

Both the prince and Wing Kay backed away from the tree roots as it lashed violently at them and rejoined Yu Hong and Sakura. Wing Kay's arrows still had no effect, try as she might, but at least the branches and roots were not absorbing her arrows and she could reuse them again each time. Xiao Lang was able to slice off a few of the roots, but more kept growing back in their place. It was too dangerous for Sakura to stay there while the wood spirit had all its strength. Once it was weakened, Sakura could seal the spirit, but as of yet, it was beyond control. "Sakura," he said, turning to her immediately, "you better run for it. It's not safe for you to stay here right now." Sakura stared at him silently and she didn't move from her spot. She didn't quite understand what he meant. Was he telling her to run from a battle? To leave them? "Go!" he ordered, in a much harsher tone this time. As he was right now, he couldn't protect her, so she had to get away from there before she got hurt. He just didn't want anything to happen to her. 

Without a word, Sakura turned and fled, but she had only gone a few steps when it hit her. In situations like these, she was completely useless. She couldn't ever help them at all. If it weren't for her star pendant, she wouldn't even be there, the Li elders would never have accepted her accompanying Xiao Lang. Sakura hated it so much. Why was it that she could never do anything?? Xiao Lang and Yu Hong both had their martial arts and their swords, Wing Kay could help out, too, using her own arrows…but Sakura had nothing at all…useless…weak…incompetent…worthless… 

Entranced by her own words, Sakura didn't notice that she had stopped running. She didn't even see the man standing before, nor did she feel the dark aura that surrounded him. With one touch to her forehead, Sakura crumbled to the ground, near unconsciousness, and the man quickly withdrew as the trees around the princess began to awaken because of the wood spirit reacting to the dark aura. The roots shot up and wrapped around Sakura's lithe form, imprisoning her instantly in midair. In her hazy state, Sakura vainly tried to free herself, but she felt her power slowly draining away instead. Such a weak girl, that's all that she was… She couldn't do anything at all… No one needed her… It would be better if she just vanished… With her mind so clouded with doubt, Sakura never heard the people calling her name. 

The moment Sakura had left the group, all of the tree roots weaved around the trio and went after her. Xiao Lang couldn't figure out the reason it did this and why the wood spirit was attacking them so fiercely, as it was generally conceived to be one of the gentler spirits. Something must have awakened it and something must have angered it. But what that something was, Xiao Lang had no clue at all. There were so many pieces to the puzzle and yet nothing fit in place… 

Yu Hong jumped onto the roots that bound Sakura and quickly climbed them to where she was. Her eyes were closed, tears glistening on her eyelashes, and she was murmuring something very quietly, something he couldn't hear at all. His expression softened when he saw her. At that moment, she seemed so fragile, as if she would break if not handled with care. Indeed, Sakura was a strong person, but only when she had the right support. Without them, she was completely open and vulnerable to any kind of attack. She had yet to learn how to support herself completely. Gripping his sword tight in his hand, he swung down heavily on the tree's roots, intending to sever their hold on the princess. However, the blade was unable to cut through them - it barely made a scratch – and other branches shot out and shoved him from where he stood. The sudden attack had caught him by surprise and he pummelled toward the ground. Luckily for him, though, the distance between where he stood on the branches and the ground wasn't too great, and he escaped without any injury. Still, it left him lying flat on his back, staring up at the now darkened sky, the wind knocked out of him. 

Xiao Lang leapt up high in the air and landed in the same place Yu Hong stood earlier. The same branches that had pushed his relative over tried doing the same to the prince, but with one stroke of his sword, the branches fell from their place, in pieces, as Yu Hong watched on from below, somewhat annoyed that his sword didn't have the same effect on the spirit like Xiao Lang's blade. Turning back to Sakura, the Chinese prince watched her for what seemed forever to him. Why was it that her face displayed such sadness? Why was there a deep melancholy feeling surrounding her? Whatever it was, however, he'd find it out as soon as they were back on firm ground. Taking a step back, and gripping the unsteady sword tight in his left hand, with three slashes at the roots and branches, Sakura was released from her binds and both prince and princess plunged toward the ground. Without thinking, Xiao Lang threw his sword away, freeing his left hand, and with that one hand, he encircled it around Sakura's waist and held her close to him as they fell. Although the sword was important to him, nothing mattered more to him than her safety. 

Although they had been falling fast, upon nearing the ground, they began to slow down until they landed gently on the ground. Still in a crouched position and with Sakura being held to him by one arm, he noticed a wind incantation paper placed flat on the ground. Looking up and seeing Yu Hong's back, he realized that it was him that placed that there and activated the spell. "I didn't do it to save you," Yu Hong said, without turning to face him, answering Xiao Lang's unasked question, "I just don't want Sakura to get hurt." Without another word, he walked toward the trunk of the tree that Xiao Lang's sword was stuck in. When the prince had thrown his sword aside, it had struck the trunk of the tree and as its roots and branches flailed wildly, the aura around the tree began to weaken. In its slightly weaker state, Yu Hong wondered if his spells would be able to affect the wood spirit this time. Taking out another incantation paper and placing it flat on the trunk, he muttered a quick spell and the paper suddenly burst into flames and engulfed the entire tree. It wasn't the kind of fire that would destroy the forest, but a fire that served to only burn the spirit that possessed the trees and to further weaken it. Wing Kay joined him shortly after and, rather than dipping her arrows into her special potion, lit the tip on fire using the flame Yu Hong created and shot them at the other trees possessed by the wood spirit, whose roots and branches were still trying to attack them despite the fact most of its power was gone. 

Just before this, and after Yu Hong had spoken to Xiao Lang, Wing Kay was about to tend to Sakura when Xiao Lang stopped her for the time being. When Sakura had been bound in the air, the prince had noticed a strange black outline to her usual faint pink aura. But even after she was released, the lining never went away. He was puzzled where this added dark power came from and why she had, but he knew it couldn't stay there or it would consume her own pure aura as the thin lining was slowly thickening. Though he didn't know how to get rid of the darkness, Xiao Lang lightly placed his hand on her forehead, his brow furrowed with worry. However, the moment his hand touched her forehead, the lining blurred once and then vanished into nothingness. From that, Sakura seemed to calm down, and she was no longer murmuring soft, incomprehensible words. Wing Kay, unable to see auras, sensed something wasn't right with Sakura, but when she seemed calmer, the older girl breathed a sigh of relief and then quickly went to help Yu Hong. 

For a few moments, Xiao Lang looked down at Sakura, the girl still cradled by his left arm, and watched her breathing quietly. It was really becoming confusing to him now. He never wanted anything to hurt her, and often he didn't want her to leave his side. However, he didn't love her in the same way he did Wing Kay. Yet, why did he care so much about this princess? His feelings had been caught in a whirlwind ever since he first met her all those months ago and so many of his actions were caused by these mixed feelings. But he didn't want to think about that right now. No, he only wanted was her to wake up and tell him that she was fine, and that he didn't need to worry about her. Just wanted her to wake up and smile for him again… Images of a smiling, happy Sakura unexpectedly flashed across his mind and Xiao Lang's face flushed red in surprise. He was glad no one could see him like this. What was wrong with him? Why was he like this all of a sudden? 

When the darkness left her, Sakura's heart felt light as a feather. The darkness in her that had been so heavy and had left her feeling so bleak and empty was gone, and her mind was clear again. With her eyelids slowly opening, she found herself looking up straight at Xiao Lang's face. The redness in his face had left by this time, though his ears still showed a hint of his blush. Very gently, as if she would break if not treated carefully, he helped Sakura up to a sitting position. "Are you feeling all right?" he asked, his tone voicing his concern. The Japanese princess turned to face him with a weak smile. 

"I'm okay now," she said softly, both hands clutching tight to her long sleeves. Xiao Lang returned the smile happily, immensely relieved. Sakura's heart was now beating very fast and she didn't think she could take it anymore. This kindness of his…it was becoming so painful for her… But when the prince offered her his hand to help her stand up, she did not refuse it. 

"Huh?" said Xiao Lang in surprise as he held her right hand. He pulled it closer to him. "What's this ring you're wearing?" he asked her. 

"U-um," Sakura stammered, trying to withdraw her hand, but Xiao Lang held it tight, not letting go of it. She was still wearing Yukito's ring and she didn't want to have to explain it to him. "It-it's just a-" 

"The wood spirit's ring!" Xiao Lang exclaimed, realizing instantly what the thick brown ring was. Sakura stared at him wordlessly and then glanced at her own hand. The prince hadn't noticed the ring on her fourth finger; he was only indicating the one on her index finger. Sakura only wore one ring and she couldn't understand where this one could have possibly come from… 

"Why do I have…that ring?" she murmured in surprise, taking it off herself and looking over it. The ring suddenly glowed in her hand and floated before her, responding to her star pendant. As the key emerged from the pendant, a keyhole also appeared in the ring and Sakura sealed the item. The flames Yu Hong created disappeared and all the trees returned to normal. There was no trace of the group having been there at all. With the wood spirit gone, Yu Hong and Wing Kay rejoined Xiao Lang and Sakura, both putting their weapons away. They were all thankful it was over. As Sakura withdrew her key and was about to catch the ring as it fell, a sudden sharp gust of wind blew past them and the ring vanished before their eyes. Before they even time to react to this, a voice called out to them, and received their undivided attention. 

"I have to thank you for the ring," the voice said. "It looks really nice on my hand, right next to the fire spirit's ring." The man had stepped out from the shadows and was settled comfortably on one of the tree's branches. Chi Yuen, thought Xiao Lang grimly. What was he doing here? On his fingers he displayed for them the fire and wood spirit's rings. 

"You saved me a lot of trouble by sealing it for me," he said cheerfully. "Thank you very much, Sakura. Wonderful work, as usual," he called to her with a bright smile. Sakura avoided his gaze but that only caused his smile to widen. Xiao Lang took a step in front of Sakura and blocked her from Chi Yuen's view, glaring up at him. "Oho," Chi Yuen sneered in a mocking tone, "and who do we have here? A prince brat who can't keep from almost getting himself killed?" Xiao Lang tensed up, but Chi Yuen ignored him and his eyes lazily turned to see the people behind them. "And there's two people I don't know," he murmured, his gaze passing over Yu Hong and taking a long appreciative glance at Wing Kay. Xiao Lang bristled in anger at this and his hand clenched tighter around the sword handle. Before he could make a move, however, Yu Hong clamped his hand on the prince's shoulder, stopping him. 

"Let me handle this," he told the younger man, as he stepped before all of them. Chi Yuen tilted his head to one side, an expression of boredom on his face as he watched him. "You're the one that did this to Xiao Lang?" Yu Hong called up to Chi Yuen. 

"So what if I am?" Chi Yuen asked with a loud yawn. Yu Hong suddenly flashed a grin at him. 

"I suppose I ought to be congratulating you," he answered, still smiling. "After all," he said, shrugging his shoulders carelessly, "no one has ever dared to give this stupid prince the beating he rightfully deserves." Xiao Lang stiffened and would have stepped forward if Sakura and Wing Kay weren't holding him back. Chi Yuen sat up this time and observed Yu Hong with renewed interest but he still said nothing. Yu Hong let out a mock sigh. "Everyone just dotes on this idiot," he continued, "just because he's the son of our former Emperor. If it weren't for that title, he'd be just like the rest of us, maybe even below us. I'm happy you taught him a lesson, Chi Yuen," he added, turning briefly to smile at Xiao Lang's angered expression before looking back up at Chi Yuen, "since he needed to realize that he is just far too weak." 

"I'm glad you agree with what I thought, whoever you are," Chi Yuen said, returning the smile, and laughing at the prince's expense. "That prince is still nothing more than a brat." 

Yu Hong joined him in his laughter. "You're absolutely right about that!" Xiao Lang's fists clenched tighter, but he stopped resisting both the girls holding him back. Just what was Yu Hong thinking, putting him down like this? He was acting just like the Yu Hong he knew for so many years… 

Abruptly, however, Yu Hong's laughter died and a serious expression replaced the smile on his face. "If we met sooner, Chi Yuen," he said quietly, looking away, "we might have actually become good friends. We both despise that stupid fifteenth prince and probably have so many other things in common…" Yu Hong suddenly lifted his head to face Chi Yuen again, his eyes blazing, and his hand clutching a single piece of paper. "However," he said vehemently, his aura growing around him, "I can't forgive you for what you did to Sakura!" He vanished from the spot and reappeared almost instantly beside Chi Yuen, standing nimbly on the tree branch. Sticking the incantation paper to the front of the man's clothes, he activated the spell and the paper burst into flames. 

Chi Yuen immediately countered with a water spell and doused his clothes in the liquid before the fire could spread. He then followed up with a fast cuff that Yu Hong dodged but the latter hadn't accounted for the flying kick that Chi Yuen hit him with in the face seconds later. Yu Hong fell from the tree, but landed easily on the ground, and dusted himself off as he stood up again. "Trying to attack me?" Chi Yuen said coolly, folding his arms. "You're ten years too early to try." 

"You're really something else," Yu Hong admitted with slight admiration, as he rubbed his red cheek with the back of his hand, "being able to cast spells without using incantation papers." 

"You're not too bad yourself, actually," Chi Yuen acknowledged pleasantly, his eyes completely focused on Yu Hong. "I wouldn't mind engaging with you for a fight sometime. I'm sure I wouldn't be wasting your time. Also…" he suddenly stopped speaking and turned to look at his left shoulder. There was an arrow sticking out of it, an arrow he hadn't noticed being let loose. Turning back to face the group, he saw it was Wing Kay who shot it. A static shock first came from the arrow, but electric currents suddenly surrounded his body and he screamed from the pain. 

Wing Kay's eyes widened in surprise and she dropped to her knees on the ground. She knew Chi Yuen was a magic user and knew that the potion was deadly for those that used magic. However, when Xiao Lang had asked her to shoot an arrow at Chi Yuen, to distract him momentarily so that the prince could attack him and retrieve the rings, she had chosen carefully, an arrow that should have been completely wiped clean of the potion. After all, she never wanted anyone to die because of her. But that arrow…could she have missed a spot somewhere? No…she didn't want anyone to die because of her! Xiao Lang placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and she looked up at him. He didn't say anything, but she could read it in his eyes. "It wasn't your fault, so don't worry about it like that," they said. Still, Wing Kay felt uneasy about it. 

Chi Yuen's screams had soon subsided to silent cries. The electricity, which would normally immobilize a person, did not stop him at all. In a painstakingly slow movement, he reached toward the arrow and grasped it with his right hand. The arrow was hot still, from the power it was taking from him, but he clutched it tight with his hand and wrenched it out of his shoulder. The electric currents still shot from the arrow around his hand, but it was no longer hurting his body. The arrow fell from his hand and dropped to the ground, the electricity from it already dying down, as he leaned against the tree trunk, panting heavily. 

"Such a measly thing could never defeat me," he said slowly, between breaths. With a slight smile, he continued. "I now have two rings and you have two," he told them coolly. "That last ring will definitely be mine. And as soon as it is, I'm coming for the last two. They'll all belong to me in the end." With that said, he vanished from sight and left them all alone. 

Wing Kay had moved from her spot and was sitting on the ground, holding the arrow Chi Yuen had dropped. While the last thing she wanted was someone to die, she couldn't believe that Chi Yuen was able to remove it so easily. She'd been around Yu Hong and Xiao Lang enough to see their powers, however, the power this magic user possessed was unfathomable. There was a light touch on her shoulder, but she ignored it. That same person then offered her his hand and she looked up to face Xiao Lang. "Come on," he said softly, "let's head back." Wing Kay nodded slowly and accepted the hand, allowing herself to be brought back to her feet. The four turned and headed back to the inn in grim silence, each preoccupied with their own thoughts. Sakura turned and took a sidelong glance at Yu Hong, who had been silent the entire time. He was deep in thought and not paying much attention to his surroundings nor the people around him. She wondered what was going on in his mind. 

The Chinese prince had turned in time to see Sakura glance over at Yu Hong and he felt his chest tighten again. However, he said not a word about it and continued on in silence. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

A forlorn figure sat by the window, her arms resting on the windowsill, and her head resting atop her arms as she watched the man practicing below. It had been two days since they had lost the wood ring to Chi Yuen and everyone had been feeling rather demoralized. Sakura was alone in her room as Wing Kay had left to get something to eat for breakfast, and she was watching Xiao Lang as he practiced outside. The one most angered at losing the ring was none other than Xiao Lang himself and he was blaming himself on the most part, because he wasn't able to fight at full capacity with his left hand yet and thus was beaten so easily. For the past two days, all he did was practice and Sakura had been unable to pull him from doing so, even to eat or sleep. "At least Wing Kay can," she thought with a dejected sigh, "or else he'd be training himself night and day without rest…" 

There was a light knock on the door and Sakura pulled herself from the window to go answer it. Before she reached the door, however, it opened, and Yu Hong peeked inside the room. "Is it only you here?" he asked her as he walked in, closing the door behind him. "Where's Wing Kay?" 

"She's downstairs," Sakura replied, sitting back down by the windowsill. She was rather surprised to see him. After all, he had also never left his room since they had returned two days ago and Xiao Lang opted to stay in her and Wing Kay's room so as not to bother him. 

"Oh?" said Yu Hong, absentmindedly. He opened the door and was about to step out when he seemed to change his mind. "Hmm, perhaps it's better this way," he mused. At the questioning look on Sakura's face, he crossed the room and sat down beside her. Neither spoke a word for a few moments. "I'm leaving, actually," Yu Hong said finally. "I need to continue my mission for the Elders. It's definitely not something I can put off for much longer." 

He abruptly stood up again and walked over to Sakura, holding out both of his hands towards her, with his palms facing up. She placed her hands over his uncertainly, and he clasped them gently, bringing her to her feet. When he released his hands, he placed them firmly on her shoulders, looking straight into her eyes. As she looked into his dark grey eyes, she couldn't help but think he was treating her so differently from that time several months ago back at the Li Elder's home. He had really changed… "I wanted to apologize for the way I acted before," he said in a low voice, suddenly seeming a little shy, "back at the Elder's place when I said I was going to take you back to the ninth prince." 

Sakura blinked in surprise. She hadn't known she wasn't the only one thinking about the past… "It's not that I was happy that you were being taken back to someone you hated," he continued. "It's only that…" His voice trailed off, unsure of how to finish his sentence. "It's just that you know the fifteenth prince and I have never been on good terms and I was only happy that I could do something to him that would hurt him a lot," he admitted sheepishly. "However, I never wanted to hurt you. I don't ever want to." Without warning, Yu Hong leaned down and his lips lightly brushed her own in a soft kiss. Sakura's eyes widened, but she said nothing. "When I'm free to, free of this mission," he said quietly, "I'll come help you again and only you." Gently cradling her cheek in his hand, he added, "I wish you good luck with the rest of your mission. And above all, I hope you can find your happiness." Letting go of her, Yu Hong stepped on the ledge of the windowsill, turned back to smile once at her, and leapt off to the ground below. When Sakura reached the window to see where he had gone, he had already disappeared. 

The door to her room suddenly burst wide open, banging into the wall and Sakura whirled around at the sound. Xiao Lang was standing there, glowering, with a very dark aura around him. When he had been practicing outside, he had been aware every moment Sakura had her eyes on him, and the more he felt that, the more he wanted to train, because it was for her protection that he forced himself to try so hard. Even when he had relented to Wing Kay's pleading for him to at least eat and sleep, he still wanted to do so much more for Sakura's sake. When she did watch him, her face always displayed such sadness and he felt that if he could do better, then her smile would return, the happy, beautiful smile he wanted to protect. However, when she had been gone for so long, he had started to get worried. What if Shui Ken's guards had found them and secretly taken her away? Immediately, he had stopped practicing and dashed inside, all the what-ifs crowding his mind. 

What he saw when he reached Sakura's room, however, was something he had least expected of all… Yu Hong had kissed Sakura right before his very eyes. If he could've prevented seeing it, he would've, but the door had been left open and he had chanced upon seeing them at the moment he arrived outside the room. He had only recovered from his shock after Yu Hong had left, but his entire self was filled with anger and hatred. Because he was generally a calm person, Xiao Lang didn't know what to do with his pent up rage, nor did he know what it was that made him loathe Yu Hong so. At that very moment, however, there was no one that he despised more than his relative. After slamming the door open, he wordlessly strode till he stood right before the princess and, with his left fist clenched tight, angrily demanded, "What did Yu Hong do to you?" He still asked her, despite already knowing the answer, though, he didn't know if the kiss was all that Yu Hong gave Sakura. 

Unused to seeing the prince in such anger, only replied in her soft voice, "N-nothing. He didn't do any-" She was suddenly cut off when Xiao Lang kissed her fiercely, silencing her words. But he broke it as soon as he began. 

"Where else did he kiss you?" he asked in a low voice, his glare not wavering in the least. "Because, I'll make sure to erase every touch from him; he had no right to do that to you…" Sakura was in a complete daze. Why was it that Yu Hong's every word and action seemed to rile Xiao Lang up? Making him act so unlike himself? And, without a word or a warning, he had suddenly kissed her like that… But she still shook her head mutely, indicating there was nothing else. Abruptly, he pulled her into a tight embrace with his one arm and sank to his knees, Sakura going down with him. Sakura turned crimson, wondering just when the prince was able to do such actions so easily though she didn't know Xiao Lang was equally astonished with himself. Unconsciously, she leaned her head against his chest as he held her close to him and could hear the quick beating of his heart. As he held her, the tension completely escaped from him and he was thoroughly ashamed of the way he acted and treated her. He'd definitely have to apologize for his rash behaviour later. However, for the moment, he did not let go of Sakura… 

Somewhere down the hall, Wing Kay turned to lean with her back against the wall and stared up at the ceiling, but really looking into nothingness. She had accidentally witnessed Xiao Lang's outburst and saw everything that had happened between the prince and princess, unbeknownst to either of them. She had quietly turned and left after, not wanting to let on that she was present when it had happened. However, as she slid to the ground and held her legs to her chest, a lone tear trailed down her cheek. Just what were Xiao Lang's true feelings, anyway? Who did he love? Because she was beginning to believe he didn't really know himself… 

Author's Note: What with CNAnime2003, work, getting sick, making the TGS website, server going down, and a stupid writer's block, I didn't get this chapter out as soon as I hoped. =( 

That's right, I finished the TGS website. ^_^ You can reach it at www.kings-quest.net/~taateam/ and it's actually been up since August 25. ^_^* All profiles are finished (though I still need to draw chara profile pics) and there's a few fan art for display already. =) If anyone wants to submit any, I'd be very happy to receive them. ^_^ 

I've been contemplating of doing a TGS side story that crosses over with Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE. XD I mean, if we thought of TGS as one of the many "worlds", then this world could be one of the ones they could go to when they look for Sakura's feathers. ^_^ Heh, should I write one just for fun? XD It would have very little impact (if any) on the actual TGS storyline, though. =P 

Syaoran was really mixed up this chapter, ne? ^_^* I find that nothing that I write lately comes out right in the end. -_-* It just seems weird to me the whole way through… So many things have "inserted" themselves. Does anyone remember how I mentioned I had a thorough outline? But so many things kept adding themselves as I wrote it, thus a strange result. o_O 

Author's Note to ChErRi)*(DrEaMeR: Li Yu Hong… He was introduced in chapter nine and there's a bit about him in ten. He's a distant relation to Syaoran and also three years older than him. 

Author's Note to Nanali: Would you draw fanart, really, really? *_* I really would love to see some more fanart done for this fic. XD 

Author's Note to mommy: baby-saku is very sad… ;_; Because, even though we had very few classes together, baby-saku always saw mommy at school when we were in high school. Now that we don't even go to the same universities, even if we're in the same city, we'll never get to run into each other at school. *bursts into tears* I want my mommy~! *cries* … *coughs* Anyway, speaking seriously, *glomps mommy* I really miss you! *huggles* 

Author's Note to Red-Emerald: Anything you have to say Red-Emerald-san, I'd like to hear. =) 

And thanks to little elfling, tk, Final Fantasy Princess, Rindi, Yukimi Yuki Takiro, Linky-chan, cherryblossomsakura2111, MoshiMoshiQueen, May, yumi, rubygurl, crazy azn angel, Phoniex-dragonmoon, ramahir, White Blossoms, s jus me, sweet-strawberry692003, Jiruru-chan x2, and FuyuSarah for your reviews! 

*Sakura   
~The Animé Archives Team


	19. Back from the Dead

**The Guiding Star**

Back from the Dead: Chapter Nineteen 

By: Sakura

Come back, you!" roared the guard as he chased after the girl. Sakura looked back to see where he was, but she didn't stop running. 

Several weeks had passed since they left Fankuai. In general, the weeks had been uneventful as they had found no new rings since they lost the one to Chi Yuen nor had they run into any of Wing Kuen's guards. That is, until they reached Chengkou. 

~*Flashback*~

Since leaving Fankuai, Sakura noticed that everyone had changed somehow. For one, Wing Kay may be smiling more often, but they were all forced smiles. It no longer came from her heart anymore. Aside from this was the fact that Xiao Lang was far quieter than he usually was and wouldn't talk about what was bothering him. As for Sakura herself, even after all this time, Xiao Lang's kiss was still burning on her lips. 

They hadn't been doing anything in particular in Chengkou - just walking through a busy street filled with merchants and people and thinking of stopping for a meal while they were there - when Xiao Lang accidentally bumped into another person's shoulder, who was walking in the opposite direction of them. However, they had created such an impact when they bumped into each other that the prince was knocked off his feet. Sitting on the ground, he realized he wasn't the only thing that fell; Wing Kuen's braid, which usually was clipped to the back of his head, also fell off and the man saw the braid sitting on the dusty ground. Both men stared at each other in stunned silence. Sakura and Wing Kay immediately went down to help Xiao Lang back on his feet and Wing Kay picked up the braid and quickly hid it out of sight. The man suddenly laughed as the prince was dusting himself off. 

"It must be nice to have two wives to help you out," boomed the giant in a loud voice. "I've never been able to get even one!" Xiao Lang smiled wanly at the man and said nothing in return. The trio had been about to continue on when the man stopped them again. "Wait a minute," he said, in a much quieter voice than his usual, rambunctious tone. They all paused and Sakura and Wing Kay turned around to face the man while Xiao Lang stared straight ahead. 

"You can't have these two women as your wives," he said. His smile instantly changed to a sneer. "After all," he continued, slowly walking toward them, "the girl on your left is already engaged to another man, and this girl here," he placed a hand on Sakura's shoulder and she flinched slightly in response, "is your brother's concubine." 

Without wasting a second, the prince turned around and delivered a flying kick to the man's face, knocking the other man unconscious. But it was already too late, for guards had completely surrounded them by this point, all with swords drawn. Xiao Lang realized then that that man must also be one of those guards and had purposely approached them and walked into him. Although the situation looked bad for the group, none of them seemed worried at all. Within an instant, Wing Kay drew her arrows and when she let them fly, they took out a few guards as they landed on their backs or shoulders. And while some of the guards still standing stared in surprise that their comrades had lost conscious almost instantaneously, the fifteenth prince disarmed them, easily handling the sword with his left hand, and elbowed a few of them in the face. Even Sakura was able to fell a guard with a swing from the bag she was carrying. 

Still, this effort was not enough for the small group, as another group of guards, alerted to the fight on the street, came charging through the crowd of civilians watching the skirmish. A few of them had seized Wing Kay and taken her arrows away. She kicked at them and tried to force them to release her, but these men weren't imperial guards for nothing. Xiao Lang and Sakura, somewhat away from her, went unnoticed by the new groups of guards for the moment. Xiao Lang looked at Sakura, then at Wing Kay, and then back to Sakura, his brow furrowed in worry. 

"We can get her away from them," Sakura said suddenly, thinking rapidly, "if I was used to distract some of them and you handling the rest of them. After all, they don't want her, but me," she added, not looking at him. Xiao Lang only stared at her in surprise. 

"Sakura…" he said softly. "No, you can't make yourself a decoy!" the prince exclaimed, grabbing her wrist with his left hand and holding it tight. "There's got to be another way without putting yourself in danger like that!" Sakura looked up at the amber eyes before her, full of worry and anxiety. She just wanted to be useful to him and not always being a burden. She wanted to help him any way she can. 

"Don't worry about it," Sakura told him confidently. She had to be strong and she had to muster up all her courage to keep her strength. "We'll meet up back by the dress-shop near the end of the street we came in from," she continued. Still, Xiao Lang didn't release her hand nor had his worries subsided. "Everything will be all right," Sakura said softly, granting him a soft smile. "That's always been my 'invincible' phrase…" She made him let go of her hand and deliberately ran past the guards, immediately getting their attention and causing a few of them to give chase. All he could do was watch her as she left… Nevertheless, he wasn't going to let her efforts go to waste and he quickly went to help Wing Kay, hoping that everything really would be all right… 

~*End Flashback*~

Originally, there were many guards following Sakura as she weaved through the crowds of civilians, but the moment she ducked into an alley, only one remained on her tail, screaming for her to stop. Even if there was only one guard behind her, she still had trouble disappearing from his sight as he stuck as near her as possible. The alleyways she had ventured into were relatively short and connected to main streets where there were many people milling about, buying their groceries, chatting with neighbours, and so forth. However, every time Sakura left an alley to attempt mingling with the crowd, she saw guards leaving the alleys parallel to the one she was in and was left with no choice but to continue running straight ahead, through more alleys. 

A hand reached out from behind her and grabbed her arm, forcing the princess to turn around and face the guard who was trying to catch his breath. She opened her mouth to scream but he clamped a hand over her mouth and used the other to drag her out of the alley and into the street. Sakura's eyes darted around helplessly, trying to find a way out. The townspeople turned in surprise at seeing them, but as soon as they realized it was an imperial guard, all returned to their own business, nervously glancing over their shoulders and wondering why there was an imperial guard so far from the palace. They didn't bother giving a thought to the girl, dismissing her as possibly someone from a brothel. She understood then that they would never aid her. Three other guards rejoined the princess' captor, all with delighted smirks on their faces. 

"You've caused us a lot of trouble," sneered one of the guards, poking her forehead hard a few times, as Sakura winced at every jab. "Still, I'm certain the fifth prince will give us a hefty reward for getting you back to him." He peered closer at Sakura and noticed that she wasn't paying attention to what he was saying. He grabbed her hair and forced her head up to face him. "What's the matter with you?" She didn't respond to him. Instead, Sakura's gaze was no longer on him, but focused on something past the guard. 

There was a procession coming up the street of a sedan chair, eight chair bearers, and twelve guards flanking them. They didn't seem to imperial guards, as they didn't wear the same particular robes. The sedan chair was a little bigger than the ones she had seen or rode in, as this particular one could seat two people quite comfortably. With that many people included in the procession, it could easily be assumed that the person in the chair was very wealthy. The group came to a sudden halt as they neared the guards and the chair bearers carefully placed the sedan chair on the ground. In surprise, the guard released Sakura from his hold and the other three equally turned their attention to the arrival of the other group. Although Sakura wanted to use that moment to escape, she knew it wasn't plausible since she was completely surrounded by both imperial guards and those that protected the occupant of the sedan chair. Around them, curious onlookers tore themselves away from their work to watch the scene unfold. 

All of a sudden, all four imperial guards went down on one knee and bowed before the group. "We didn't expect to see you so soon," spoke one of them, a little nervously, "but we've got the girl for you." Sakura looked at the guard in surprise, mystified by his words. 

"You've done an excellent job," said the voice from inside the chair. "And I'll be certain to reward you well for your efforts." The curtain to the sedan chair was gently pushed aside and a man stepped out, smiling serenely at everyone as he walked toward them. Sakura clamped both of her hands over her mouth in shock and her legs gave way beneath her, causing her to drop to her knees. The man stopped before Sakura and held out his hand to her up. "It's been quite a while since we last saw each other, hasn't it, Sakura?" the ninth prince, Li Shui Ken, asked her with a calm smile. She could only stare at him, unable to budge an inch. Her mind was reeling from the shock. Shui Ken had caught up to them himself…! 

"It's about time, don't you think?" San Kong asked his partner as he deftly tied his mask behind his head. Both Shi Kuang and San Kong were watching the scene below them from a random balcony. "It's time that we take that princess away with us." Shi Kuang, leaning against the wall, nodded curtly in response. 

"She'll belong to us before she goes to that guy," he said coldly. San Kong didn't respond to this, but he agreed with his companion, nonetheless. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Xiao Lang was frantically running around Chengkou with Wing Kay close behind him, not even caring about staying hidden anymore. After all, the guards already knew he was there and hiding would have been pointless, anyway. Cursing silently, Xiao Lang was angry with himself for letting Sakura run off like that. He should've realized immediately that it was all just a trap. For the moment he had arrived at Wing Kay's side, the guard holding her captive shoved her in the prince's direction and he instantly caught her in his arms. 

"Do you think you're all that important, traitor prince?" asked the guard jeeringly, as Xiao Lang helped Wing Kay back to her feet, one arm around her protectively. "Right now, you're nothing to Prince Li Shui Ken. Only after we retrieve the Japanese princess is your head worth a little more than nothing." All the guards turned and gone, leaving Xiao Lang and Wing Kay standing alone in the dust, and the townspeople, who had been watching in curiosity, returned to their work. 

"Sakura," Xiao Lang thought in desperation, "where are you?" 

~*~*~*~*~*~

The only daughter of the Japanese Emperor Kinomoto Fujitaka sat very stiffly on the edge of the sedan chair. She chose to stare only straight ahead, refusing to look elsewhere, even if all she saw was the closed curtain that hid the occupants from the people outside. The man beside her slipped his right arm around her shoulders and pulled her back against him, his left hand caressing her cheek. "You're acting very coldly," laughed Shui Ken, kissing her forehead lightly. Sakura continued to ignore his gestures, but it only served to amuse him further. 

Just a little while earlier, the ninth prince had handed the princess over to the handmaidens he had brought along with him from the palace and they fixed her up for him. Her scruffy peasant clothes were stripped away and she was adorned with a pale pink high-collared shirt and long skirt. The shirt had buttons starting from the center and travelling down both sides of her and the skirt was merely pleated on both sides. The pattern for the dress was actually fairly simple, but the materials it was made of were very expensive, something an ordinary citizen normally would not be able to afford. Parts of her long silky brown hair were braided and twisted up to her head, where they were pinned with small flowery clips. The rest of her hair lay gently on her back, brushed until it shone. When they were finished with her, she looked quite unlike the peasant woman she presented herself as when she was found. Rather, she looked the princess that she truly was, much to Shui Ken's satisfaction. 

Shui Ken placed his right hand on her chin and turned Sakura's head to face him, looking into the depths of her emerald eyes. She was still the most beautiful woman he ever knew, as he had formed his own standard of beauty based on her. She was his and would always belong to him… He'd make certain of that. 

Sakura squirmed uncomfortably in her position, not wanting to look at the prince. But, his eyes – why, they were the same shade of amber Xiao Lang's were – held her entirely captive in its gaze and she could not look away, try as she might. Deep down, despite her fright, she realized that these were familiar eyes… The eyes, which usually gazed at her so cruelly, were softer and somewhat gentler. They didn't remind her of Xiao Lang's eyes, even if they were the same colour, but of someone else, from long ago… 

"My dear Sakura," he whispered in a soft tone, losing himself in the moment as he held her cheek in his hand. Very, very few would ever recognize the ninth prince in this state. Sakura trembled in his grasp as he continued to stroke her cheek, only wanting him to release her and nothing more. "I'm going to change your title… You'll be named as my wife when we return to the palace and not just any concubine." The princess looked at him in surprise, not comprehending what he was saying immediately. "Because," he said, "you are my most beloved." 

"But," she protested, "you already have a wife! You can't have two at one time…" Shui Ken looked away at that moment and was silent for a few moments. 

"She died a few weeks ago from heart failure," he replied in a low voice, his eyes downcast. Although Sakura had always been his ideal woman in his heart, in his own cold way, he still did care somewhat for his wife, and even the other concubines that followed her. She was the first one he had ever married and she had stayed faithful to him from the moment of their marriage, unlike the wretched second and third concubines, who paid for their treachery with their lives. If Sakura was astonished by his earlier gentleness, she was even more dumbfounded by this melancholy display. He was showing her a side of him that he rarely showed anyone, one of vulnerability and weakness. She almost opened her arms to embrace him at that moment when a thought flashed through her mind. Sakura could not forget that this was the man that had destroyed her home, family, and friends. He had hurt so many people for his own selfish reasons. Never again would she submit herself to him. 

It was also then Sakura remembered that, even if she was considered his concubine and all by everyone, they still never had an official ceremony, for the time she had arrived in the imperial palace and was called the ninth son's concubine was the time the Emperor of China had passed away and his funeral had taken precedence over everything else. Also, soon after the funeral was when Xiao Lang had threatened Shui Ken and the latter charged his younger brother with treason, getting him sentenced to die. Throughout all that, Sakura had never officially became his… 

The sound of swords clashing and screams of pain reached Shui Ken and Sakura's ears and the sedan chair was placed back on the ground none too gently. Shui Ken's arms had encircled Sakura's waist and he held her tight so that she wouldn't fall out as the sedan chair was dropped. A trifle annoyed by the interruption, the prince stood up, flung half the curtain aside, and stepped out, in time to see a guard thrown against the sedan chair, a deep stab wound in his chest. The man was already dead. Several of the other guards had been taken out in the same manner, a single stab wound to the chest. He stood before the half of the open curtain, shielding Sakura from the view outside. One hand rested protectively over the other half of the sedan chair while the other hand on the hilt of his sword. Nonetheless, Sakura moved the other half of the curtain aside and peered outside to see the situation for herself. She gasped at the sight of the few dead guards and saw two men standing in their midst, swords drawn, each stained with the blood of the eunuchs. Other imperial guards were joining them, but at the moment, it was as if time had stopped for those four people. The two men wore their usual masks, their only expression being the one painted on each of their masks. 

"Give us Kinomoto Sakura," demanded Shi Kuang, pointing his sword as Shui Ken, although they stood several feet apart. The prince didn't seem the least bit fazed by them. On the contrary, he was studying them calmly, as if they were just guests joining him for tea. 

"Have we met somewhere before?" Shui Ken asked him in a pleasant tone, smiling coolly at him. 

"My name is Tan Shi Kuang," the other man answered brusquely, his countenance threatening. "Introductions are meaningless, really, so just hand her over." 

"Do you really expect me to hand over my important person willingly?" the prince asked frostily, an eyebrow raised questioningly. 

"Of course not," Shi Kuang responded in relative agreement. He gripped his sword tight with both hands. "That's why I'm going to defeat you here and take her from you." His entire focus was on the ninth prince and he ignored everyone else around him. But as San Kong knew how much Shi Kuang wanted this one on one fight, he took care of any intruding guards that came lunging toward them. The ninth prince first swung his queue around his neck, so as to not get in his way, and unsheathed his sword from the scabbard. Both men then approached each other, completely oblivious to their surroundings and the people around them. 

It began as a trade off of blows and blocks as both Shi Kuang and Shui Ken struck at each other with their swords, each escaping with narrow misses. Shi Kuang's strokes were heavier, as he put more force into them, while the prince, slightly smaller in stature compared to the masked man, used speed and precision for his shots. A good few moments had passed by and both still faced each other, breathing a little heavily. Neither one sustained any injuries at the time. Aside from Sakura, no one was paying much attention to their battle. The eunuchs caused a great deal of commotion, even though San Kong easily parried them all, and the civilians all watched this one man facing over a dozen imperial guards alone. San Kong was very skilful with his sword, having learned how to use it at a very young age and honing his skills since then. However, he hated having to kill someone, as he was often forced to when he was in a battle, especially when his life - and the lives of people he cared about - was on the line. 

Making his way to Sakura's side, he stood next to her as he continued with his fights. "Sakura," he began, ducking in time to avoid the heavy cuff to his face. "Would you mind coming with us? We really want to take you away with us." He suddenly covered Sakura's eyes with his left hand as his sword plunged into the guard's chest. He didn't want her to see people dying like this, even if it was for her sake. The sudden motion puzzled Sakura, but when his hand lowered, she found herself face to face with San Kong, and she could see nothing beyond the mask. "Actually," he said ruefully, "it doesn't matter whether you want to leave this prince or not." It seemed to the princess that the man was smiling underneath his mask. "Because we'll steal you away no matter what." 

"But, why?" Sakura asked, still not understanding in the least bit what they wanted from her. Besides her very first run in with Shi Kuang several months ago, she was certain she never met them before. What could they possibly need from her? It couldn't be the star key again, could it? That was something Chi Yuen wanted. However, San Kong didn't answer her as his attention was turned back to the guards. Sakura then returned to watching Shi Kuang and Shui Ken battle, rather anxiously. Only one winner could emerge from a fight…and who she wanted to be the victor, she wasn't sure… 

Every time their swords clashed, every time a hit was dodged or made impact with something other than his opponent, Shui Ken realized that the style Shi Kuang fought with was fairly similar to another man's that he battled with before. He couldn't place a finger on who that person was, but he was most certain that that man had died by his hand long ago. Still, what was the reason that the style was so familiar? The only explanation he could come up with offhand was that perhaps these two men had studied under the same master. However, that sort of answer didn't satisfy him. 

Both men were no longer completely unscathed, though, neither had any serious injuries, either. They dismissed any measly cuts and bruises to be meaningless and continued without thinking about them. Still, the longer Shui Ken thought about it, he knew this style was the exact same. Was this Shi Kuang testing him for some reason? His next movements were completely natural; he moved as if he were re-enacting a one-on-one battle he had with another person years ago. He had faked a movement with his sword to the left of the man, as if he were to strike him, and then followed up instantly with a side kick, but Shi Kuang deflected them with ease, as if he were expected them. Shui Ken took a step back and paused for a moment, observing his opponent. He imagined that Shi Kuang was glaring back at him, much like that other man, but he couldn't really be certain, what with the mask on his opponent's face. 

The Chinese prince decided that it was time to end this child's play. Reaching behind, he withdrew several daggers from his belt and suddenly leapt high into the air, throwing the long daggers at Shi Kuang. The masked man jumped out of the way, avoiding all the daggers as they struck the ground. Before the taller man landed on the ground again, Shui Ken instantly reappeared before Shi Kuang's eyes. "He's fast," the man thought grudgingly, noticing that the prince had moved from one place to the next in a matter of seconds. Clutching the hilt of his sword tight in both of his hands, Shui Ken slashed down on Shi Kuang, intending to strike him across the chest. However, Shi Kuang knocked the sword away by pushing against the flat side of the blade and grabbed Shui Ken's right wrist, stopping him in his tracks. The prince looked mildly surprised at Shi Kuang's action. "That kind of move won't work on me," the man said coldly. 

"I didn't expect it to," Shui Ken said with a calm smile. Shi Kuang wasn't given any time to ponder over his words. With eyes wide open, he looked down at his midriff. A dagger was protruding from his midsection. Shui Ken had pulled one of the daggers from the ground with his left hand and stabbed his opponent with it. Unknown to Shi Kuang, the prince had originally designed his move to have a back up finishing shot, if the first were to fail. As it was the first rarely ever failed - in fact, this was the first time it had - but if it did, the second move would guarantee an end. As he swiftly withdrew his dagger, Shi Kuang, his hand clutching his wound, the blood beginning to spill over his hands and clothes, collapsed to the ground, no longer moving. 

Shui Ken looked down at the fallen man, a grim smirk on his face. No matter who it was, no one could defeat him. Still, this man… His curiosity getting the better of him, Shui Ken bent down to remove Shi Kuang's mask, wondering whose face it hid. 

"…tou…" muttered San Kong almost incomprehensibly, left to watching a few feet away, not close enough to do anything to stop him. 

"Eh?" Sakura turned to San Kong in his surprise, and noticed he was hidden in shadows. 

Suddenly, his head snapped up. "Don't touch that!" he cried. Somewhat startled by the outburst, Shui Ken straightened up again, but before he could respond to this, something else completely pulled his attention away. 

"Sakura!" a voice shouted from the distance. Everyone, including what guards remained standing, turned to the direction of the voice. Sakura's heart leapt at the sight of him and at the same time, Shui Ken's eye narrowed in quiet irritation. 

"Xiao Lang," she whispered softly, watching him and Wing Kay running in their direction. 

"Xiao Lang," muttered Shui Ken at the same time, his tone filled with annoyance. His little brother would have to come later though, the prince noted. After all, he had to take care of this one named Shi Kuang first. However, when he turned back to the other man, he realized he had disappeared. Looking back toward the sedan chair, he saw no one there other than the dead eunuchs that littered the street and the other guards regrouping. The other masked man and Sakura were gone. Stranger, still, at that moment, the seemingly dead guards slowly got up, rubbing their heads as if they had just woken up from a nightmare or a long sleep. Quickly whirling around, his composure ruffled as he seethed in cold fury, he saw Shi Kuang and Sakura both being borne off by the other masked man. At this moment, Xiao Lang stepped into his range, stopping him before he could give chase to the others. The guards still left standing immediately surrounded the fifteenth prince and Wing Kay. Both brothers held each other's gaze for a long time, neither breaking that gaze. The eunuchs were hesitant to do anything without their prince's command and stood aloofly to the side, and went unnoticed by either of the princes. Finally, Shui Ken looked away. 

"Right now, little _brother_," he said coolly, "you're of no interest to me. Besides," he added, with a hint of impatience in his tone, "why didn't you go after that guy? He took away your beloved princess, after all. The one you stole from _me_." The corner of Xiao Lang's lips lifted in a crooked smile. 

"Don't think of yourself as so high and mighty, older _brother_," Xiao Lang replied, with the same pointed emphasis on the word 'brother' that Shui Ken had used. "As for that guy, I trust Sakura with him more than I do with you, so I'm not in that much of a hurry to get her back from him as I am if she accidentally fell into your grasp." With nothing to reply to that, Shui Ken turned his back to his younger brother and continued on. 

"Let's go," the ninth prince commanded to his guards as he stepped into his sedan chair again. 

"But, your highness," protested one of the guards anxiously. "Shouldn't we bring the treacherous prince with us, as well, while we've captured them? Or at least kill him here?" Shui Ken wordlessly turned around and grabbed the guard by his collar and pulled him close. 

"Perhaps I didn't make myself clear," he said icily, his eyes glaring down at the other man. "I said 'let's go.'" 

"Y-yes, your highness!" the eunuch managed to squeak out, still quailing under his master's gaze. 

Shui Ken roughly released the man, who quickly scrambled away, and looked over his shoulder at Xiao Lang. "Frankly, killing you here and now would be too troublesome," he said indifferently. "You're just not worth the effort right now." The curtain to the sedan chair shielded him from view as he sat down and the procession picked up where they left off and continued on, Xiao Lang and Wing Kay left standing in the dust, watching them leave. They only noticed then the audience that had gathered around them and when any villager caught their eye, they immediately returned to their original tasks, pretending nothing had happened at all. 

"Xiao Lang?" Wing Kay said gently, lightly touching his shoulder. The prince's fists were clenched tight and when her hand touched his shoulder, she could feel the stiffness in his body. She knew Xiao Lang hadn't been afraid of his older brother…no, rather, he was worried about something else… 

"I lied, actually," Xiao Lang said suddenly. He missed Wing Kay's questioning glance when he grabbed her hand and the two took off in the direction San Kong had disappeared to. "I don't really trust those two guys more than my brother. We have to find Sakura and fast!" 

~*~*~*~*~*~

It was like waking up from a bad dream. Mother was there, with her arms enveloped around him in a warm and sweet embrace. Her soft smile that told him everything was just fine… He reached out to hold her hand and grasped it firmly. A surprised "oh!" dragged him back into abrupt consciousness. The man opened his eyes and found himself facing the Japanese princess, his hand holding hers tightly with his strong grip. 

Quickly releasing her hand, Shi Kuang tried to sit up but found that he hadn't even enough strength to pull himself up. Sakura was sitting by his side, not letting move either. "You have to be careful, Shi Kuang," she said softly, "or the wounds will open up again." The older man took in the entire situation in one glance. His entire body ached, his muscles hurt, his midriff had been completely bandaged up to keep the wound closed, he was still in the abandoned shack that his friend and himself had found only a few days previously and decided to occupy, and he was being looked after by a girl he had supposedly kidnapped, if not by him, then by his friend. He sighed inwardly, somewhat in irritation. This was _not_ how he had wanted to start a new day… It was then that he realized his mask was still tied around his face. He had been wearing the wooden object for so long that he was beginning to be accustomed to it being there…despite its weight. He looked over to the princess, who was retying one of his outer bandages, ensuring that it wouldn't loosen. 

"Hey, you," he spoke in a gruff voice. Sakura turned to him questioningly, but said not a word. "How come you never took off my mask when you had the chance?" 

"Eh?" was Sakura's only reply. She hadn't expected him to speak to her and not about that, above all else. But without any hesitation, her answer was, "What makes you think I didn't?" 

Beneath the mask, a slight smile twitched on the edges of his lips, the first smile he's had in a long time. "I know you haven't," he said simply. He gave no other explanation as to why he was so certain she hadn't. Sakura, already finished with the knots, began to fidget with the ends of the bandages rather nervously as the other man watched her every move. Her head and eyes were looking down, but she could still feel his intense gaze. 

"It's just that…" She turned to face him and smiled wanly. "You wear that mask for a reason, don't you? And if you don't want to take it off yourself, no one else should have a right to." She continued fidgeting with the ends as she paused for a moment. "Besides," she added, "San Kong was really worried when Prince Li almost took off your mask. It must be really important to you two…" Shi Kuang abruptly grabbed both of her hands so that they'd stop playing with the bandage ends. Sakura wasn't sure how to respond to this action and stared back at him. 

"Sakura," he began, "I…" 

"Looks like the big guy woke up." 

Both Sakura and Shi Kuang turned to the source of those words and saw San Kong leaning on the doorway, his mask still beaming down at them. He began to limp slowly into the room and Sakura immediately got up and helped him into a chair. Shi Kuang observed them and then muttered, half-sarcastically, half-concerned, "What happened to you?" 

"It's only a little sprain," San Kong replied cheerfully. He said nothing more about the matter nor did Shi Kuang press for more details. The two had been friends long enough to be able to understand each other even without speaking a word. While escaping earlier, San Kong had landed improperly on his right leg and twisted his ankle. Although Sakura was anxious about him, he said she had nothing to worry about and that he could heal himself as soon as his powers returned. After all, he had been greatly weakened after using most of his powers trying to pull his friend back from the brink of death. 

"Oh, shoot, I forgot the tea I made in the other room," San Kong said suddenly. Sakura got up instantly at this. 

"I'll get it for you," she said and took leave right away. Shi Kuang watched her go with mixed feelings. 

"I don't know what to think anymore," he told his friend in a rather disgruntled tone. "She's far too trusting for her own good. No wonder people like Chi Yuen got their dirty hands on her. If it were up to me, none of them would be able to touch her, especially not Shui Ken or that stupid brother of his." 

"It sounds like you love her," teased San Kong impishly. 

"That's because I _do_ love her," Shi Kuang countered immediately. San Kong laughed in response. 

"It's so rare to hear you say that," he said with a smile, as he took his right leg up and rested it on his left thigh. Placing both hands on his ankle, they glowed for a moment and it was healed in seconds. He looked back up at his friend, a twinkle in his eyes. "I do understand how you feel, a little," he added, "as I had fallen in love with her a long time ago, too." 

Shi Kuang almost seemed to be glaring at San Kong through the tiny slits in his mask, but he only let out an annoyed sort of sigh and muttered, "And I nearly thought you were lying about the sprain." San Kong didn't answer this but instead, walked over to his friend's side and helped him up into a sitting position. At that point Sakura returned with the tray and she could feel both of their gazes on her as she re-entered the room wordlessly. She felt somewhat unnerved at this, yet at the same time, she couldn't shake the feeling that the atmosphere she felt from them was so warm and familiar… 

"Sakura," Shi Kuang said suddenly, before she had moved far from the doorway, "why are you making yourself so comfortable amongst two strangers? Don't you realize that we could be out to hurt you?" 

It was almost as if they could read her mind, Sakura thought silently to herself. Even she hadn't quite understood why, and yet… "I don't really know the reason why," she said honestly. "Every time I've met you two, I've always felt you weren't bad people. After all, you've always saved me from Shui Ken's guards and, Shi Kuang, you even got hurt trying to help me!" 

The first response Shi Kuang gave was a harsh and guttural laugh. "You've got to be kidding me, right?" he asked coldly. "Did you ever even think of the possibility that this was all a façade just to make you trust us? Chi Yuen already did this once." Sakura had no answer to this at all, but the hurt look in her eyes pained Shi Kuang and his tone had softened when he spoke again. "You're too gentle and kind, Sakura," he said gruffly, "a lot like your mother. And Emperor Kinomoto would have been very proud of you, had he still been alive, to see you growing up so well." The princess stared at him in surprise. Just who was he? How could he have known about her parents…? 

"I'm really proud of you, too," San Kong spoke up for the first time since she returned, his hand resting lightly on the edge of his mask.. Sakura turned to face him and could have sworn she could see a smile of relief on his face. "We both are, really, even if this guy tries to pretend otherwise. And we're just thankful you're okay." He reached behind his head and unhooked the mask, slowly taking it off. The tray slipped from Sakura's hands and crashed to the ground, but no one noticed it. Instead her hands flew to her mouth, covering it in shock. 

"Yu…kito…san…?" she asked slowly, her emerald greens eyes locked in a gaze with his light brown ones. He smiled faintly at her and nodded. It was too unreal… The Yukito that had disappeared after the last battle in Japan…here, right now? In China?? This…it _had_ to be a dream, it just had to! There was no possible way… 

Turning around, she watched with equal disbelief as "Shi Kuang" took off his own mask and threw it aside. She turned completely numb at the sight of her older brother, the one that she believed had died so long ago, and unexpected tears slowly trickled down her cheeks. Touya and Yukito wisely said nothing more. It was as if time had stopped for the three of them and they could think of nothing else. It would be a long while before another word passed between them… 

Author's Note: *kowtows to everyone* I'm so sorry! So sorry, so sorry, so sorry! It's been one delay after another! As some may know, I started university this year, plus a second job, and the effect it has on my time is absolutely horrible! …not to mention that I seem to have forgotten how to write (did I even know in the first place?) and everything just sounds/looks horrible to me. *is completely dissatisfied with her work* 

So…who expected that? ^_^* Did anyone think they'd see Touya again? When I first began writing this fic, I certainly didn't. =P But shortly after a few of the beginning chapters, the idea to do that *points above about his return* popped in my head. =) As for Shui Ken…that was only a recent idea (I thought of it a few months ago? sometime in the summer). I had never intended for him to appear again this soon. =P On the same note of reappearing characters, you'll be seeing another two familiar (well, one's familiar if you watch the series and the other is if you follow my two long CCS fics…that's a huge hint about who they are right there XD) people in the coming chapters. But this won't be for at least two or three chapters. 

If you haven't done it already, go visit TGS' very own website! It can be found at "kings-quest.net/~taateam". 

Author's Note to laura: Draw it however you like. ^_^ I don't even mind if my own original characters are drawn differently. So it's all up to you; you have the freedom. =) Maaa, my imagination tends to go nuts on me sometimes. ^_^* I can get really strange ideas sometimes. =P And you're not improper at all. Though, I'm not quite sure what you meant by "improper". ^_^* 

Author's Note to Mel Barry: I wonder if Mel-san still remembers the Wing Kuen oekaki pic she made oh-so-many years ago. ^_^ (It's posted on the site now. =D) 

Author's Note to Umiko Morimoto: Well, let's not forget that back then, polygamy wasn't a big deal. =P You pretty much won't find it much here in North America or anywhere else where it's widely practiced, but back then, there was nothing wrong with a man having more than one woman (in the sense of wife/concubine). ^_^* 

Author's Note to rubygurl: Ano… I don't know how Syaoran can be cheating on Sakura when they're not even together. ^_^* If anything, he's "cheating" on Wing Kay when he kissed Sakura, but then again, it's not "cheating". Remember, nothing wrong with polygamy during this time~ =P 

Author's Note to hannagrace: Hmm…how many more chapters left? Er…well…there's still a lot of stuff to be covered before this fic ends so the most I can say right now is not anytime soon. ^_^* Commencement was so much fun! I loved seeing everyone again! ^_^ And you, too! *huggles* =) Even if you're no longer "mommy", mommy still looks way cool in a suit. ^_^ 

Author's Note to vora: Well, chapters are posted the moment I finish them. ^_^* I can never ever give a specific date or even around a particular time because I always get cursed one way or another and never do get it done by that time. The most I can do is e-mail you whenever a new chapter is posted. 

Author's Note to Angel: (Note to self: let Angel-san kill me later.) Hmm, but come to think of it, it'd be really hard for me to update if I was dead, ne? ^_~ 

Author's Note to starlight: For a few weeks (months?) now, this chapter had been more than half finished. So why the delay? Simply because a) I had writer's block when it came to certain parts and b) I have my midterms/finals and writing time needs to be changed to studying time. You can always give me your e-mail to be added to the e-mail notification I send out when a chapter is completed, if you haven't already done so. Right now, that's the best I can do. 

Author's Note to Kaji no Tenshi: Sakura~~ *glomps you* Two thumbs up on the great translating job and happy to have you on our team. =) 

Author's Note to Thallein: Thanks for your review! I'll agree that the way Sakura is being portrayed right now doesn't exactly please me, either. Did you ever write a fic where the fic just wouldn't listen to you and went off and did its own thing? TGS is like that for me, sometimes. ^_^* 

And thanks to sweet-strawberry692003, yumi, Rindi, Linky-chan, KayJuli, Crystal jade2, japanimerox, sakura-li9, MoshiMoshiQueen, Feathers1, TiarellaCordifolia, Final Fantasy Princess, QTKawaii25, Jiruru-chan, White Blossoms, Yukimi Yuki Takiro, Bonnie-chan, cherryblossomsakura2111, Red-Emerald, BabyWolfGurl x10, s jus me, rebecca, Little Wolf LOVER x3, crystalstar, Megan, Innocence8, MuiscalMooky, and cherry blossom x3 for your reviews! 

*Sakura   
~The Animé Archives 


	20. Blossoming Love…

**The Guiding Star**

Blossoming Love…: Chapter Twenty 

By: Sakura_Kinomoto

  
"Nii…sama…" Sakura whispered, her entire form beginning to tremble. Touya only smiled faintly and said nothing. She turned to look back at "San Kong" as he placed his own mask on the table. "Yukito…san…" she said again, feeling her knees go weak now. The former was none other than Kinomoto Touya, her older brother that supposedly had died during the last major battle in Japan's capital. The latter was Tsukishiro Yukito, the tall grey-haired man who was her brother's best friend and the one she had loved for so many years. That both of them were before her right now…

The images Sakura saw were beginning to blur before her eyes and she tipped over, falling to the ground. "Sakura!" they cried, both leaping forward to catch her. Yukito reached her side first and caught the girl before she fell while Touya, still confined to his bed, couldn't get to her at all. Lightly touching her cheek, Yukito said, "She just fainted, that's all. I guess it was a bit too much for her."

"Geez, you monster," Touya muttered in a tone of utter annoyance, trying to hide the disgust he felt for himself in his current useless position. But Yukito could also hear the relief in his tone nonetheless and smiled. Touya may be good at hiding his feelings for Sakura from everyone else, however he could never fool his best friend. "At least she's safe here with us," Touya said, the tenderness apparent in his voice as he gently petted her head.

Yukito was unable to resist the urge of poking fun at his friend. "Sister complex," he remarked offhandedly, trying to smother a laugh with a cough but failing completely. Touya shot him a dirty look and Yukito only responded with an innocent smile.

~*Flashback*~

It was late morning when Kinomoto Fujitaka hurried toward his daughter's room. On most days, eight-year-old Sakura would be up bright and early, and come bounding into his room with unrivalled energy to wake up her father, usually tackling him awake with a big hug. However, today, after waiting a long while with Sakura never appearing, he decided to go see what was the matter. Upon reaching her room, he was startled by the appearance of his sixteen-year-old son, Touya. They both relaxed and smiled at each other, knowing full well why they both found themselves right outside Sakura's door.

Little Sakura heard their approaching footsteps, which only caused her to bury down further in her blankets. She hadn't been feeling well and was rather vexed that she might have caught a cold the last time she was playing with Chiharu and Takashi by the stream. She had accidentally fallen into the waters then and had thought nothing of the incident. Still, she didn't want her father to worry about her. After all, with his duties as emperor, he had more than enough on his plate. It's just that she couldn't muster up the strength at that moment to act as if everything was just fine.

Before entering his daughter's room, Fujitaka remembered a bit of news that he had been meaning to share with his son. "Touya," he spoke hurriedly, anxious to see his daughter as it was, "my friend Li Yuan Zen will be arriving here with his sons in the next day or two. I'll leave it up to you to see that his sons are comfortable and at ease here."

"Li Yuan Zen?" Touya asked in surprise. "Who is he? I've never heard of him."

"He's only the Emperor of China," Fujitaka answered with a wry smile. "We haven't met often because of this great distance between us."

"Don't worry about a thing," Touya reassured him with a smile. "I'll take care of it." Fujitaka smiled back, not worried at all. He always knew he could count on his one and only son. Touya suddenly motioned his father over conspiratorially.

"Let me go in first and see what's keeping the little girl," he said in a whisper and a wink. Fujitaka agreed a little reluctantly, but allowed Touya to enter the room first.

Opening the door to his kid sister's room and quietly entering, Touya surveyed the room he was in, looking for his sister. He immediately spotted her watching him from her bed and she quickly pulled the covers up to hide her face. "Something wrong, monster?" he asked her teasingly as he strode over to her bedside.

"I'm not a monster," mumbled Sakura defiantly, yet half-heartedly. Taken aback by her feeble response, Touya reached out with one hand and placed it on her forehead.

"Sakura, you're really burning up!" he exclaimed. The little girl immediately pushed his hand away.

"I'm fine so just leave me alone!" she cried in a hoarse voice, the beginnings of a sore throat showing. Touya wanted to argue back, but thought better of it. At that moment, their father entered her room.

Imperial duties put aside for the moment, Fujitaka approached Sakura and tended to her as a father. "How are you feeling?" he asked her, voicing his concern as he placed a gentle hand on her forehead to see for himself. Sakura immediately reached out for his hand with her own and pressed his larger hand against her cheek with a quiet sigh. "And don't tell me you're fine, because it's quite obvious you are anything but," her father told her sternly.

"But I _am_ fine," Sakura insisted in earnest. Fujitaka took the small girl into his arms and held her close to him. Sakura, eager for his embrace, leaned against him for support. "I just have one small favour to ask of you, otousama," she said softly, looking up at him.

"Anything, Sakura," the Emperor replied.

"May I go stay in our home just on the outskirts of Heian-Kyo?" she asked. "I'm sure I can recover there much more quickly than here and…" Her sentence was cut off by wracking coughs that shook up her entire body.

"No," Fujitaka answered immediately. "I don't want you to go so far away when you're not feeling well. I want to keep my eye on you and make sure you're getting better."

"Otousama," Sakura pleaded with him tearfully, "you said I could ask anything of you."

Fujitaka looked down at his little girl and knew immediately that she wouldn't budge. Sakura rarely requested anything of anyone that her father usually granted whatever she asked for. However, if she was so far from home in this condition, it would only cause him greater concern.

"Otousan," Touya said quietly to his father, "let me see if I can talk some sense into her. Could you leave us be for a few moments?" Fujitaka nodded and, releasing his daughter, stepped out of the room. However, he remained by the doorway, not wanting to go far.

"Why do you want to go there?" Touya asked Sakura as he sat down on the edge of her bed, after their father had left the room.

"Otousama has important visitors coming," Sakura replied quietly, staring down at her hands as they fidgeted with her covers, "friends that he does not see often. If I were to stay at home sick, otousama would always be coming to tend to me. I know him and so do you. We know otousama easily gets worried when someone catches a little cold, especially after okaasan died. However, I just don't want to get in the way of such an important reunion between friends, since I only have a little cold and nothing more." She looked up only to see Touya shaking his head.

"Geez," he muttered, more to himself than to her. "Sometimes I wonder if you're really still eight. You think too much for an eight-year-old." Sakura stuck her tongue out at him, but similar to her retort earlier, it was only a feeble gesture. She felt too tired to act with the energy she normally used. "Don't worry," Touya said, patting her on the head, "I'll see if I can get otousan to let you go. You just get some sleep for now."

"Thank you, Touya-niisama," Sakura said sleepily, settling back into her covers. She had fallen back asleep before she placed her head on the rectangle pillow. Touya quietly stepped out of her room and gently closed the door behind him, only to find the Emperor just outside. He had heard everything.

"She's right," the older man admitted ruefully. "As she is now, I'd be far more concerned about her health than that of my guests. It would reflect badly on me as a host, but Sakura is my daughter. Of course I'd be worried about her."

"Just let her do as she likes, otousan," Touya said. "It'll put her mind at ease."

"And who'll put mine?"

"Send me along with her and I'll do just that. You can definitely rely on me," Touya said in a low voice. "Just don't tell her I told you to send me."

Stifling a sigh, Fujitaka placed a firm hand on his son's shoulder and nodded. "Just make sure to return as soon as she's better," he told him quietly. Touya smiled gratefully at his father and went back inside his sister's room to see her, leaving the Emperor standing by himself in the hallway, left with his own thoughts and worries.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"As I expected," Touya said, with a long suffering sigh, "only monsters like you can get sick. Now I'm stuck slaving away, trying to bring this monster back to life!"

"Niisama!" Sakura cried out in frustration, throwing her small pillow his way. "I'm not a monster!" Touya hid a smile as he playfully let the pillow hit him in the arm and pretended to wince in an exaggerated manner, but he didn't curb his teasing one bit.

The two siblings had been staying in their summer home since late winter into early spring. Only a few weeks had gone by and Sakura was regaining more of her strength everyday. She was almost back to her usual energetic self, the one that Touya loved to poke fun at all the time. Sakura probably knew, deep down, that he loved her all the same; though she could hardly believe it with the way he made fun of her. It did not make this eight-year-old happy at all.

"Besides," the little girl continued grumpily, "you don't have to stay with me if you don't like it so much." Touya lightly patted her head as he returned her pillow to her.

"Just doing what otousan told me to do," he responded cheerfully. "He asked me to take care of this little monster, so that's what I'm doing!"

"He did not say it like that!" she cried, trying to hit her brother again with her small fists. Touya chuckled at her futile attempts but before he could make any other comments, there was a knock on the door and one of the servants popped in after Touya bid them to do so.

"Ah, excuse me, oujisama," the maid said softly, "but Tsukishiro-sama is here to see you." The Prince's eyes lit up for a moment.

"Tell him to wait in my room," he told her. The maid complied with a nod and left the room.

"Tsukishiro-sama?" Sakura repeated in surprise. "Who's that?"

"No one you know yet," Touya answered with a grin. Ruffling her hair as he stood up, much to her protest, the last thing he said before leaving the room was, "Don't cause any trouble, monster, because I'll be right back."

"I'm not a monster!" Sakura cried again, throwing the pillow after him again. However, Touya had already left, closing the door behind him, and the hard pillow tore through the paper screen. Wide-eyed, the princess immediately leapt out of bed to see the damage she had unintentionally done. Opening the door and peering outside, no one was standing guard at the moment and the maids were away. No one had seen the pillow land in the hallway. Tossing the pillow back in her room, Sakura quietly made her way to her brother's room, a little curious about this 'Tsukishiro-sama'. Her brother normally would have forbade her to leave the room, but her brother wasn't there right then, was he? The little rebellious thought made the small girl smile and she stifled a giggle.

Nearing her brother's room, Sakura crept slowly toward it. She could hear the voices of the people within the room through the thin paper screens and knew they would hear her as well if she wasn't as silent as possible. "…are boring like always," someone said with a small laugh. Sakura paused at hearing this unknown voice. _This must be Tsukishiro-sama, I mean, Tsukishiro-san!_ the princess thought rather excitedly. There was a warm, bubbly feeling in her chest that surfaced just from hearing his voice. _Hanyaan…_ she thought almost dreamily. "You're not really missing a thing. However, our tutor is still convinced that you left not to take care of your sister but to skip out from doing your work." Touya laughed at the notion.

"You're probably right," he said with a chuckle. "After all, what guy would go out of his way to take care of his sick little sister? None of us are that sappy, especially not to monsters," he finished in a gruff tone. Sakura wanted nothing more than to go into her brother's room and stomp on his foot for that remark, but she suddenly felt a little cold and tired…

"None of us guys are as bad at hiding our true intentions as you, _Toya_," Tsukishiro Yukito stated mildly, with pointed emphasis on his nickname for his friend. Outside, the little girl could still hear their chatter, and she desperately tried to stay for just a little while longer, wanting to hear the visitor's sweet and gentle voice… Wanting to keep this wonderful "hanyaan" feeling…

"I have no idea what you're talking about, _Yuki_," Touya retorted, with equal emphasis on his friend's nickname. Yukito had been about to argue when a maid anxiously burst into Touya's room from the outside entrance.

"O-ojiisama!" she stuttered nervously. "I'm sorry for c-coming in like th-this, b-but himesama has disappeared! She wasn't in h-h-her room j-just now!" Touya was instantly at his feet without a word and threw the sliding door open swiftly. He was shocked to find Sakura right outside his door, sprawled out on the ground and completely out cold.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Sakura was rather vexed at herself for her small "rebellious" act. Because of it, she had completely missed her chance to meet Tsukishiro-san. The cold air in the atmosphere had only served to agitate her illness further that time and Touya kept her under his watchful gaze day and night, not wanting a repeat of what happened before. Although he never told her, he was very afraid to see her sick for this long. It reminded him too much of his mother, who had died five years previously. For so many months she lay confined to her bed and often she would tell him not to worry about her. The more Sakura told him not to worry, the more his concern for her increased.

It was only when he was confident with Sakura's clean bill of health that he allowed her to leave her room. Touya had forbidden his father from visiting them there while his guests were still in the city, however, he knew his father was very anxious to have his children back home with him and was still as worried about Sakura as Touya.

Touya, Sakura, and their handful of servants and caretakers arrived back home late in the night though they had alerted no one of their arrival. Touya had immediately sent his sister off to her room, which she did dutifully. However, the moment she entered her room, she did not immediately dive under the bedcovers. Rather, she dragged the bed sheets from the bed, wrapped herself up in them and sat by the window, watching the wind rustle through the trees and the flowers outside. As it had been weeks since she left home, her friends crept up in her thoughts and she wondered how they were. There was Takashi and his love of telling stories; cheerful Chiharu, the only one that could keep Takashi in line; and Naoko with all her dreams and fancies. She could see and play with them all soon now that she was pretty much recovered. Her mind drifted again briefly to the boy who gave her that "hanyaan" feeling during his visit at their summer home before turning her full attention back to the scenery outdoors. Sakura hadn't watched for more than a few minutes when she suddenly stood up, the bed sheets falling to the ground, and nimbly climbed over the windowsill. The little princess didn't want to be trapped inside at that moment, not when there were beautiful flowers to see. She was tired of staying in a room with nothing to look at but plain white walls and doors.

It was in this way that she scampered outside, still in her bed clothes, bareheaded with her still short hair just touching her shoulders. She gave none of that a single thought. Instead, she fairly skipped to one of the gardens, drinking in the beauty all around her, hardly noticing that the ground still felt cold and moist under her bare feet. Pausing for a moment under a row of cherry blossom trees, Sakura placed her cheek against its trunk with a happy sigh. She always loved to see the sakura trees in bloom. Nothing was more beautiful to her than those five-petal flowers. When a sudden gust of wind blew up, it weaved its way through the trees and the flowers began to rain in a pink shower of petals. With a soft giggle escaping her lips, Sakura danced happily among the falling petals, reaching up from time to time to catch a blossom or two, enjoying her moment alone.

The sudden snap of a branch breaking in two brought the princess out of her reverie and she froze. Slowly, she turned around, looking for the source of the sound. She hadn't been alone. There was a young boy that stood huddled miserably against a tree and he had been watching her. Sakura's cheeks instantly turned scarlet as she realized he had seen her dance and acting silly. What could he have possibly thought of the Emperor's daughter for doing such a thing? The negative thoughts were immediately dismissed from her mind and she quickly ambled over to him instead. For some reason unknown to her, she felt that she really wanted to meet this boy.

"Hajimemashite," she greeted him, a demure smile on her lips.

"Ha-hajimemashite," was his stammered reply. Sakura tilted her head in surprise. It sounded as if he spoke the words with a foreign tongue.

"Hoe?" she murmured. "So Japanese isn't your first language? Are you from China?" The boy nodded without saying another word. "I can speak Chinese, too," Sakura added as she began to speak in his language almost flawlessly. "Otousama and niisama taught me." The boy was shuffling rather nervously by the tree and she impulsively took his hand and drew him away from the base of the tree toward the open field. Never before had she met such a shy boy but he intrigued her. He wasn't that much taller than she was, though Sakura was certain he was older than her. His facial features were kept reserved and Sakura might have thought nothing of it if it weren't for his amber eyes. Everything was expressed openly through them. Also, she had never seen anyone with eyes that shade before…

"What's your name? What are you from?" Sakura continued, in her attempt to bring this boy out of his shell. Her tone was kept light hearted and an amiable smile lit up her face. "I'm Kinomoto Sakura, the daughter of Emperor Kinomoto."

"I'm…" the boy began hesitantly. He suddenly faltered and sputtered, "I-I'm just a prince from China." Sakura nodded understandingly and decided not to push him. He was decidedly shy and would probably open up only when he felt comfortable enough to.

"So that means you're one of our guests," she said cheerfully as they reached a small bridge. She stopped for a moment to look down at the fish in the pond, then settled down on the railing and lightly swung her legs back and forth, enjoying the cool morning air. She had been cooped up inside for far too long. The Chinese prince had fallen silent again and although she wasn't facing him, Sakura had the feeling that he was watching her, and a tiny blush crept onto her cheeks. "I'm sorry that neither niisama nor I were there to greet you all when you arrived," she said hurriedly, trying to hide her nervousness. "I recently took ill and otousama sent me to a quiet place away to recover and he had niisama accompany me." The memory of her brother and his endless teasing about her getting sick suddenly arose in her mind and she clenched her fists and banged them against the railing. The boy had been startled by this abrupt action.

"Wah, but niisama's so mean!" she cried. "He kept saying only monsters like me could get sick like that!" At that moment, she fell backward with a gasp, forgetting that her hands had been balancing her while she sat on the railing. With eyes shut tight, she prepared to feel the impact of the wooden floor under her back. Seconds rolled by and Sakura realized she had been stopped in mid-air. The Chinese boy had caught her before she fell. With gazes locked, Sakura found herself staring into these boy's amber eyes. There seemed to be an infinite sadness buried within its depths. They were also slightly red, as if he had been crying recently. He helped her stand up and this time she turned to face him. His eyes seemed more interested in staring at his feet and they remained intently on the ground. With her head tilted slightly again, she was carefully observing him when she asked, "Are you okay? Did…" There was a slight hesitation in her voice as she wondered if she was going to far, asking him too much. "Did something happen? You seem… so sad…"

His gaze was pulled from the ground and he looked into her soft green eyes in surprise. Disgust passed through his eyes, but Sakura knew it wasn't directed at her. He bit his lip for a moment before speaking out. "My older brother," he said, as if choking on his words, "has just passed away." Tears were welling up within him again and before they could fall, Sakura instantly flung her arms around him in a hug. She looked up at him with her own shimmering eyes, filled with sympathy and understanding.

"It hurts now, doesn't it?" she whispered softly. He spoke not a word in response and instead, slipped his arms around her tiny frame, seeking comfort in the embrace and finding it. The droplets of water that she felt falling on her shoulder only succeeded in her tightening her arms around him and she wisely said nothing about it. "Although it may hurt now," Sakura whispered into his ear, "eventually, the pain _will_ go away. So the current pain we feel doesn't eat us up entirely, we must let go of it, and remember our loved ones and all the happy times we've had together." She had a feeling that she was just rambling on at this point. Despite that, she still continued. "And don't forget: our loved ones cannot fully die unless we forget them. For while we live, they will continue to live in out hearts, as long as we cherish their memory." The prince pulled away from her at that moment to really take a good look at her for the first time and to not shyly avert his eyes as he usually did around girls.

His eyes never left her face as he mulled over her words in his mind. Also, though Sakura was unaccustomed for any boy – and a stranger at that – to be watching her as he did, she found that she didn't mind at all. She rather liked this shy timid boy. And when they watched the sun rise together and he stole her first kiss in that one instant before running away himself, her heart felt warm and she wished deep down that she could meet him again, no matter the circumstances. Just to see him once more…

However, it wasn't only her chest that felt unusually warm, but her cheeks did, too, she realized as she placed a cool hand against her face. Just why was she so overcome with dizziness again, the images before her eyes blurring? Oh, why wouldn't those trees just keep still and stop spinning? No longer did she have time to contemplate it as her knees buckled beneath her and she fell forward, unconscious.

"Himesama!" the maid shrieked as she saw her mistress crumble to the ground in a dead faint. She hurried to the child's side as quickly as she could, but another person reached her before she did and caught her before she hit the ground. The expression on his face was an extremely gentle one as he pushed a loose tendril of hair away from her face. "Tsukishiro-sama," the maid said softly as she reached his side, not wanting to disturb him for some reason. Yukito turned to her with a faint smile on his lips.

"Where is himesama's room?" he queried as he swept his arms around her, carrying her lithe form with ease. The maid hurriedly showed the way as Yukito took her back to her room. Perhaps it was because she was sick or perhaps the sound of that person's voice had driven every other thought out of her unconscious mind. Either way, the small princess remembered next to nothing from that day and the small part that she did remember - of the flashing amber eyes and the prince that granted her a kiss - was not to be thought of for years to come.

~*~*~*~*~*~

When Sakura finally opened her eyes, she was greeted by a fair-skinned youth with light-grey hair and twinkling brown eyes. "It looks like our sleeping beauty has awaken," he said, the ends of his mouth curved up in a mischievous smile. Surprised at his appearance, the girl found herself reddening under his gaze, though she had a distinct feeling that he had been by her side the entire time she was asleep. "Do you know who I am?" he asked her, the smile still on his lips. She had never seen him before, but she nodded mutely. She knew that voice, after all. And that sudden bubbly feeling in her chest couldn't be denied. He was Tsukishiro-san.

"You're still getting over your cold right now," he told her gently, "so you shouldn't be playing outside this early in the morning when there's a slight chill in the air." He patted her hand lightly. "If you want to dance among the blossoms, you can always wait until early aft to do so." Her cheeks went crimson when she heard this and immediately avoided his gaze. He had seen her when she had been acting utterly childish…whatever did he think of her! Turning her hand over, he pressed a few of the freshly plucked pink flowers in her hand and closed her fingers over them with the other. "And since you won't be able to go out again for a while, I've brought them here to keep you company." She looked up at him and met his eyes. They were quite serious and she realized he meant everything he said. It wasn't just some mean joke he was playing on her. Tsukishiro-san was a very kind person…

"T-thank you very much, Tsukishiro-san," she stammered shyly, looking away again, still blushing under his gaze. His hand was still covering hers and she could feel his warmth. It felt so comforting to her. 

"Call me Yukito, himesama," Yukito told her with a smile. "And may I call you Sakura?" The princess nodded vigorously again, some of her shyness slipping away. She never loved hearing someone say her name before. He made her name sound so beautiful when it was spoken through his sweet and gentle voice.

While fidgeting with her sheets, she softly said, "It's very nice to meet you, Tsuki-" she caught herself in time, "Yukito…san." Just then, she couldn't not tack on the honourific. It was too early. Looking up, she smiled brightly at him, her shyness completely melting away. "Please take care of me!"

Yukito returned the smile with a cheerful one of his own. "Please take care me," he echoed. In the few moments that passed, the two of them were firm friends.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Ever since she met Tsukishiro Yukito, like her keepsake name, Sakura blossomed into a beautiful flower. She had always been a happy child, but there was a different light in her eyes. They shone as one often does for a girl in love. As a child, she worshiped her Yukito-san and thrilled at every meeting they had. She was not normally a shy person – rather, she was very outgoing – though around Yukito, an unaccustomed shyness would spring forward. However, he always melted the ice easily with his calm smile. And yet her heart continued to beat wildly whenever she was in his presence. Sakura could hardly recall life before she met Yukito and nothing before that time mattered to her anymore, not even that chance meeting with a boy whose face she couldn't remember and whom she would most likely never meet again. Her present, future, and everything was for her to give to Yukito.

As for her meeting with that prince from a distant land, Yukito had never mentioned it to her when he told her about the time he saw her carefree dance among the trees. If he had said nothing, it could be no reason other than he simply didn't know, having been distracted by one of the servants asking if he had known about the little princess' whereabouts. Perhaps no one ever knew about that fleeting moment in the garden for Sakura could hardly remember it. Only for one person did the scene burn angrily into his memories. Touya, going in to see his sister and not finding her in her room, had only gone outside to witness the moment but was too late to interfere with it. This was something Touya would never ever tell her, even if she did ask him about it. He just never trusted that boy.

To Yukito, Sakura had just been his best friend's little sister, the girl he gave candy to whenever they parted, the one he told stories to and occasionally took care of. He loved her smiles and tried to invoke them as often as possible. Her laughter was always sweet and clear, and he always found himself doing anything he could to hear it. He had also known that the little girl had a small crush on him. At that moment, he had dismissed it as a momentary thing and thought she would eventually get over it. She was just like the younger sister he never had, the one he could dote and spoil while her other brother would spend most of his time pretending he didn't care about her at all and would tease her constantly. As time passed, he was surprised to find himself hoping that she didn't have a crush on him. No, he wished that she could love him, as he now loved her. Now she was no longer a small child to spoil and pat lightly on the head. Her personality matured yet she still retained her childlike innocence; like a little caterpillar that has grown and become a beautiful butterfly. Yukito wanted to protect her and always keep her safe.

Sakura was fifteen when she first voiced her feelings to Yukito. It didn't matter to her that Yukito was more than seven years older than her. It didn't matter that he might never see her as something more than a kid sister. She just wanted him to know how she felt about him, the feelings she had had since the moment they had met. Nothing meant more to her than to hear Yukito earnestly telling her he felt the same way and that she was the only woman (_woman_, Sakura thought with satisfaction, and not child or girl) he could ever love. The first kiss she shared with him was both sweet and full of promise. A promise that they would both forever go hand in hand into the future.

The Emperor thoroughly approved of the match and Touya was very pleased. He couldn't have picked anyone better for his own sister. As for the two in love, nothing meant more than the other's feelings and knowing it. Marriage wasn't on the horizon, however, as everyone involved knew that Sakura was still too young. Whatever the future held was still around the bend. For now, living and drinking in every moment of the present was everything to Sakura. She treasured every moment she had with her beloved Yukito-san as did he for her. Her childhood was filled with happy times and memories with her friends, her brother, and her love.

But even happy days couldn't possibly last forever…especially not when there was war approaching them… A war that would affect everyone and change their laughter to tears…

  
Author's Note: When I first began this fic, I never expected to write at least twenty chapters at all. Yay me, I made the big 2-0! XD

This was a more past-oriented chapter. I had wanted to do this one for a while, elaborating a bit on Sakura's life and love in Japan. Also, there was more to it than I expected and will take two chapters to conclude than just the original one. We'll return you to the "present" time in chapter twenty-two, so stay tuned!

To be honest, I've never really been a Yukito/Sakura fan, so trying to think up scenes and write about them was so very difficult. ~_~ Especially when a brown-haired, amber-eyed boy kept popping into the picture. =P Must be fate. ^_^

Many had said that they were surprised to find out Tan Shi Kuang and Yiu San Kong turned out to be Touya and Yukito in surprise. However, which was more surprising? This or finding out that Shui Ken (instead of Xiao Lang) was the boy from Sakura's memories? 

If you haven't done it already, go visit TGS' very own website! Address can be found in my profile. =) Comments, fan art, drabbles…pretty much all are accepted. =) Sometimes the site experiences a bit of a downtime so simply try again later. ^_^

Author's Note to FuyuSarah: Just out of curiosity, what made you think that the two "unknown" guys would turn out to be Touya and Yukito? =)

Author's Note to SparklingAura: You've been added to the mailing list. ^_^ Just wondering, but what parts did you find seemed "obvious" about it? *loves to hear feedback*

Author's Note to Kaji: I don't know where my ideas come from. ^_^* I can get inspirations anywhere, usually when I'm about to fall asleep, too. =P The problem with the latter is that if I don't make myself get up and write it down, I'm 97% likely to not remember it in the morning. And that's such a huge problem. ~_~ Sakura's too forgetful for her own good. -_-*

Author's Note to Hanna: Yeah, I really do need a beta-reader. Don't know where to look for one, though, nor do I know anyone with the time to do it. As for grammar mistakes, well…to tell you the truth, I never proofread this chapter before posting it. ^_^**

Author's Note to S*I*T*A*295: Wow, thanks for that lengthy review! ^___^ It really made my day. *laughs* Even kaasan said it was rare to see my so hyper/happy. XD About the whole Touya/Yukito thing, I was trying to be as subtle as possible about, but it still looks like people caught on, despite my attempt. And I'm glad you like this little baby of a fic of mine so far. ^_^ Just out of curiosity, though, how did you find this fic? =) 

And thank you to Umiko Morimoto, HyEcHaN, Final Fantasy Princess, sweet-strawberry692003, brat2princess, tsumaki-chan, meinien, sally, triva, QTKawaii25, MoshiMoshiQueen, cherrixwolf, kmpnay, SakuraAyanami, BabyWolfGurl, Red-Emerald, Yuki-Rabbit, s jus me, SaKuRa Kinomoto-Li1, White Blossoms, crimson_angel, Ronnie, Luna, Yukimi Yuki Takiro, crazy azn angel, Little Wolf LOVER, and favian for all your reviews~!

*Sakura   
~The Animé Archives


	21. …Withered Ties

**The Guiding Star**

…Withered Ties: Chapter Twenty-One

By: Sakura Kinomoto

Touya leaned back idly in his seat, his notes and scrolls strewn messily around his desk, and stared up at the ceiling with his hands behind his head. Doing homework was becoming such a bother that he didn't want to think about them right now. Out of the corner of his eyes, a figure's shadow passed by his paper screen door and he slowly brought his arms back down, tentatively resting them on his desk. With a mixture of boredom and curiosity, he got up to see who it was. At the end of the hallway, overlooking the flowers and ponds, stood a man with hair of a midnight blue hue. Although his back was to the Japanese prince, he had a nagging feeling that he should know who that person was, even if he couldn't recall him at that moment. When Touya stepped outside, the other man, sensing a new presence, turned around. His gaze was both cool and uninviting.

"Who are you and why are you here?" Touya demanded without hesitation. But as he asked him, he suddenly realized he knew exactly who the other person was. Those cold, unwavering amber eyes had not changed in the past six years. The latter bowed to the prince formally.

"I am just a mere guest at your home again," he spoke softly and politely. "I had only wanted a few moments alone and left my group of eunuchs behind in my quarters." He looked up at Touya again, a reserved smile on his lips. "I don't think we've ever properly met. I'm Li Shui Ken, a prince from China." He bowed once more. "Please treat me well."

The older man stared at him hard, looking to see if there was anything he ought to be suspicious about from his words. He wasn't entirely pleased, but he found nothing at all wrong with what the other said and could only bow grudgingly in return. "Yoroshiku," he echoed.

As Shui Ken was about to leave and continue his walk, he caught a glimpse of a girl practically skipping through the gardens and immediately stopped short, his eyes widened and his breath caught in his throat. Touya wondered at this strange behaviour and followed his train of vision, finally laying eyes on his sister, who was returning to her own room at the time. It dawned to him exactly what Shui Ken had set his sights on.

"You can just forget about it, kid," Touya growled in a low voice. "I'll never let you lay your filthy hands on her." Shui Ken turned back to look at him, a look of shock and hurt on his face.

"What do you mean by those cruel words?" he asked defensively, as if truly ignorant to what the other meant. His expression changed in a split second and he smiled calmly. "You really shouldn't underestimate me," he told him lightly. As Sakura was out of sight now, Shui Ken turned around and continued on his walk, leaving the Japanese prince feeling completely uneasy, unable to shake the sense of foreboding he felt from this Chinese boy.

-----------

The sun was shining, the sky was bluest of all blues, and Sakura was feeling her happiest. There was no particular reason for that happiness, aside from perhaps the fact that a certain grey-haired man with gentle brown eyes might be paying her a visit. She just felt that it was the kind of day where not a single cloud could dampen anyone's spirits.

With that attitude, she brought sunshine and light into her father's study as she came to tell him that breakfast was ready. As she entered the room, however, she felt the dark atmosphere keenly and found both her father and brother together by his desk, discussing something in hushed tones, worry mirrored on both their faces. They hadn't noticed her arrival at all. Pretending to clear her throat, the princess piped up, "Is there anything wrong?" As if magic, the darkness she felt fled and both of them turned to her with a smile.

"There's nothing the matter, monster," Touya said with a grin, to which Sakura replied by sticking her tongue out at him.

"Do you need something, Sakura-san?" asked the Emperor with a warm smile.

"I only need you two to hurry up and come eat breakfast with me," she said, giving her father an affectionate kiss on the cheek.

"We'll be down soon," Fujitaka replied, hugging her lightly in return. Sakura smiled at him and was on her way again. She wondered briefly, as she left the room, if she had imagined the troubled look on their faces… She dismissed it as nothing and skipped off. After all, this fifteen-year-old girl had much more important things to worry about, like how to suppress the 'hanyaan' feeling long enough so she could act just a little more naturally around a certain loved one.

When Sakura had closed the door behind her, the happy mask on both father and son slipped away. "Otousan," Touya said quietly, "there's no way of Sakura not knowing that China had declared war against us, but it would be much better if she doesn't find out she is the cause of it." Fujitaka held his head in his hands, looking older and more haggard than he ever did. He still couldn't believe the chain of events that happened only within the last few weeks.

When the Chinese prince, Shui Ken, had paid them a visit several weeks before, Fujitaka certainly did not expect to have to meet with his demands. After a few days of amiable companionship, the prince had contrived to ask the Japanese Emperor to entrust his daughter to him. Fujitaka, knowing that this particular prince already had several concubines, politely, but firmly, refused his request. Even if Shui Ken has no other concubines, it was still out of the question. He had no intention of just "giving" his daughter away to someone. He wanted her to find someone she loved, someone who felt the same mutual love and respect she did for them. He didn't say so, but he was certain she wouldn't find that in Shui Ken. Still, he did not tell Shui Ken his reasons for the refusal.

However, Shui Ken seemed stunned at the fact his request was turned down. He had gone there, to stay at this man's home, in full expectation of leaving with a bride. This did not suit him at all. After imploring with kind words and going nowhere, he lashed out at the Emperor, saying his daughter really could never do better than being married to a prince. Fujitaka's stance remained the same, refusing to give his daughter to this man. Shui Ken, still not really expecting such refusal, angrily declared that if the Emperor didn't give him Sakura, the Chinese army would lay waste to their city. He didn't think that the Emperor would call his bluff and continue to refuse him as he did. And when he was rebuffed again and again, with his defiant pride, Shui Ken hurried home and manipulated members of the army to help with this 'conquest', promising them great riches and rewards.

Fujitaka did wonder about his friend, Li Yuan Zen, for allowing his son's actions, but he never knew that the Chinese Emperor had mysteriously fallen ill at that time. And as Yuan Zen still had not created his will about an heir at that point, all his sons held nearly equal power and Shui Ken was able to use the army as he wished.

But to go to war for such reasons… Fujitaka was in complete agreement with his son. Sakura would feel the pressure enormously if she knew she was the cause and might do something rash if she knew she could prevent it. The Emperor was determined not to let her fall in the hands of that capable Chinese prince.

-----------

A few weeks had gone by since the Chinese prince had declared war on them. Ever since the war began, time had flown quickly, and yet, Sakura still found herself to be wasting time, staring listlessly out the window. What could he possibly want from them? She knew for a fact that he cared little for conquering their city – she had heard him say so to her father and brother in her father's study before she was ushered from the hallway by a few guards. For some reason, no one wanted her to know what was going on and why and it bothered her to no end. She disliked it when people treated her like a child that should be sheltered and hidden from the world and all its devices. At one time, she asked Yukito about it. His only response was to assure her that it was nothing very important and that the Chinese prince would soon realize how futile this war was for both sides. Finding such an answer dissatisfying, she confronted her brother more aggressively several times. Most of the time he pretended as if she had asked nothing and ignored the question, talking about everything with her except the war. Except for the last time a few days ago.

Touya studied the face of his kid sister in silence. Every line stressed the frustration she felt and there was a spark of anger in her eyes. She just wanted to know. He didn't really want to hurt her by keeping it from her, but he knew she must never find out why. "He just…wants something," he concluded lamely.

"Well, if he just wants something, just give it to him!" Sakura shot back impatiently, not realizing the irony of the situation. "After all, there really is nothing that we have that isn't expendable. Money, land; they can be given to appease him. If there's any way to stop this war, then we must! Even if that means giving in to his demands, whatever they are." The princess knew she was beginning to ramble and even whine a bit. However, she didn't care. The anger and irritation that was bottled up in her was threatening to burst. That and she was afraid. Afraid that the longer this war took, the greater the likelihood that both her brother and Yukito would join the battle. "Just give him what he wants so he can leave and let our lives go back to what it used to be! I don't want this war to continue anymore! I'm tired of being sick with worry about the outcome of every battle and wondering who will go next! Just make it stop!!"

Out of nowhere, Touya slapped her hard. Completely caught off guard, she turned to look back at her brother, mouth open with shock. She pressed the back of her right hand against her cheek as it was fast turning scarlet.

"Look," he began in a low voice, not facing her as he spoke, "no one wants this war. If there was something we could do to prevent it, we would have done so a long time ago. But what he asks from us is something that's impossible to give and something we would never give him, even if we could." Without another word, Touya stalked out of the room, leaving Sakura to nurse her red cheek alone.

Even after what Touya said, Sakura still couldn't understand what this prince from China had to gain from warring against her country though she no longer asked anyone else for the reason why, knowing full well that she would never get a decent answer. She was embarrassed to remember how shamelessly she had acted but she still felt that Touya shouldn't have slapped her. In the end, she had to admit, if not to him at least to herself, that the slap did knock some sense back into her. Still, neither sibling had spoken to each other since.

Someone quietly stepped into the room, as if to not disturb her. Having sensed their presence anyway, Sakura turned to face them. Her eyes lit up when she saw Yukito but immediately fell the instant she saw his clothes. He was all suited up to leave for battle. He approached her with a soft smile on his lips.

"How are you holding up, Sakura-san?" he asked her gently, taking her hands in his. Sakura shrugged carelessly and bit her lip. She didn't want to ask him why he dressed that way. She didn't want to know why he _had_ to go, for she was certain he had a good reason to.

"Don't worry," Yukito said with a reassuring smile, "I'll take good care of that brother of yours and will make sure he comes back to you." He got up to leave but was stopped by a slight tug on his robes. He looked down to see Sakura still holding him back, her eyes downcast.

"Yukito-san…" she began slowly. She looked up at him, the unshed tears still in her eyes. "You have to come back to me, too!" The man was startled by her outburst. The surprise was soon replaced with a gentle smile.

"Sakura-san," he said, taking her hand in his. He deposited something in the palm of her hand and closed her fingers over it. "Keep this as a reminder of our promise," he told her softly. "When this war ends and if we both survive this war – which we _will_ - let's get married right away. Promise?" The princess stared at him mutely, clearly not expecting to hear those words from him at this moment, and was taken aback.

"I…p-promise!" she managed to say, blushing profusely. Before he could say anything else, however, Touya entered the room. Both turned to see who it was and when Sakura recognized him, she watched him with imploring eyes. Her brother still refused to meet her gaze.

"It's time to go, Yuki," he said quietly, still looking away. Without another word, he turned on his heel and hurried out. The hurt was apparent in her expression and Sakura didn't bother disguising it. So Touya was still angry with her… She was unaware that Touya was actually afraid to look at her. For he knew if he saw her face, he would never be able to leave her side. Yukito gently kissed her on the forehead and after squeezing her hand for encouragement, he left and followed his friend, leaving her behind.

Sakura wanted nothing more at that moment than to run after them, to stop them, to tell them not to go. That cold and distant expression on Touya's face deterred her instead. It seemed he was still angry with her previous childishness, after all. But knowing he was purposely refusing to even look at her hurt her very much. The princess knew they felt they had to go. She just would have felt better knowing the reason why. And as she could never join their side in battle, she would pray and hope they would come back to her, safe and sound.

-----------

Everything that happened before the war began - every moment, every memory – felt as if they had occurred another lifetime ago. Sakura sat dully outside the throne room, wondering if laughter was something of the past. Her heart had been completely empty and devoid of feeling since the time she heard her brother had been killed during the last battle and Yukito was missing and presumed dead. There was currently a ceasefire between both sides but now it meant nothing to her. She had lost the people she loved most. She still did have her father, though the Emperor was only a shadow of his former self and seemed to age a great deal since the moment he heard the news of his son.

It was immediately after that battle that Shui Ken came to visit the Emperor again, to tell him that it was he that had killed his son. And though Fujitaka often warned his daughter to not stay near the throne room, she had been outside it that day and overheard what the Chinese prince had said. She had fainted straight away from shock and after she recovered, was forever filled with the constant regret that she had never made up with her brother before he died.

The ceasefire had been in existence for a fortnight by this point and Sakura knew her father still wasn't giving in to his demands. She knew that this Shui Ken had said he would give him two weeks to think it over however, even yet she had no idea what he wanted. With the two weeks finished, she waited outside the throne room, wanting to know once and for all just what Shui Ken wanted so badly.

After waiting for several hours, she nearly fell asleep and was woken by her reverie upon hearing a voice speak pleasantly to the Emperor. "So are we in agreement, Emperor Kinomoto?" Shui Ken asked him with a slight bow of acknowledgement to the older man. Sakura stood up and slowly peered through the doorway, hidden from the people inside. It was the first time she had ever seen this prince and thought grudgingly that if she didn't hate him so, she would have thought him rather handsome.

"No matter how many times you ask me," Fujitaka replied in a tired tone, "my answer will remain the same." Shui Ken's smile tightened.

"I'm afraid you misunderstood my reason for asking for her," he said amiably. "I only wanted to bring her back with me for a few months, to visit and learn about my home and country. After all, my brothers and I had learned so much those years ago we came and did the same. Our countries should really just co-exist in peace and prosperity. I only want to educate her, as I had thus been educated during my stay. It's not that I want her as a concubine or anything, just a friend." He paused for a moment and when Fujitaka said not a word, continued. "If you agree with me on this, I will immediately ask our army to withdraw. If not, they will continue as they are and I know you are well aware that this is a war you cannot win."

"I know that," Fujitaka said softly, "but my answer will never change. I will never let Sakura leave."

Shui Ken's expression hardened and he glared venomously at the Emperor. "Then you leave me no choice," he spat out. "I will just burn-"

"Wait!"

Both men turned to the source of the interruption. Fujitaka's face suddenly went ashen and a smile lit up Shui Ken's, no longer distorted by hatred. Sakura had run into the room without even thinking and it took her a moment to collect her thoughts. When she had heard them from outside, she had finally understood why everyone refused to tell her for what purpose this Chinese prince had come; because he had come for her. The thought of being with this man anywhere for whatever reason repulsed her right away. She couldn't bear the thought of him as it was. She hated him with all her might and regarded him as her brother's murderer…but should everyone else suffer just for her selfishness? If what he said was all he wanted (and he did say months and not _forever_) then mightn't she go?

"Prince Li," she spoke quietly, staring straight at him and not daring to glance at her father, "what if you were to change my visit from a few months to a few weeks instead? Because I could never bear to part from otousama for a very long time." The Chinese Prince suppressed a smile and bowed elegantly.

"I completely understand your feelings," he said as he straightened up again. "Then, Emperor Fujitaka," he added, turning to face her father, "we have nothing else left to discuss. I will withdraw my troops indefinitely and Princess Kinomoto Sakura will be sent for the day after tomorrow." The Emperor said not a word to him in response. And exercising greater control than he knew he possessed, Shui Ken turned and left.

If truth be told, Shui Ken had been aware of Sakura's presence since long before he spoke with Fujitaka. The moment he had entered the throne room, he had recognized Sakura's silhouette in the shadows outside and it took all his willpower to keep from running to see her. He had had a difficult time trying to pretend she wasn't there. Yet every word he said had really been directed at her, rather than the Emperor, and he believed that if she were the same girl he remembered, she would definitely agree to his terms, no matter what they were. Everything was finally coming together and Sakura would be his for keeps…

-----------

Sakura slowly trudged through the streets, keeping herself hidden and inconspicuous as possible, clutching her hood over her head. People were busy milling about, some occupied with their daily concerns, while others talked about the Chinese army's sudden withdrawal, and others still were setting to work fixing up their homes. No major battles actually occurred in Heian-kyo, but there had been the occasional looting and even a fire here and there and many were busy with repair or helping others rebuild. After months of living in war against a common enemy, the people were united and strived quickly to help each other during this moment's reprieve, lest the enemy returned to inflict more damage while they were unprepared.

Sakura sank back into the shadows as a group carrying food hurriedly ran by when she bumped into someone behind her, both hitting the ground, and her hood falling back. "Why you…" grumbled the man in an annoyed turn as he went to retrieve his supplies. Then his eyes widened when he saw who it was. "Himesama!" Everyone around them had stopped moving and turned to see who had suddenly cried out. The man flushed and quickly brought Sakura back to her feet, dusting off her clothes as he did. "I'm very sorry about all that," he apologized after she had helped him retrieve his supplies, despite his protest.

"It was only an accident," she replied with a smile, thinking nothing of it. He continued to stammer out his apologies and it was only then that they realized they had an audience. As Sakura looked around her, she could see children and their parents, the elderly, and even people her own age. All carried supplies of sorts, whether they were food or materials for repair. This war had affected everyone and excluded no one at any age. Without warning, she turned and bowed low to everyone, to their surprise. "I'm sorry for everything that's happened," she choked out, a deep welling in her throat and tears stinging her eyes. "I-"

An elderly woman immediately stepped forward and placed her wrinkled hands over Sakura's. "Say no more, Himesama," she told her gently, her eyes soft with kindness. "No one blames you for what happens."

"Yeah!" another man from the back piped up. "It's all the invaders' fault and no one else!"

"Himesama!" as yet another stepped forward. "You can't go! Don't give yourself up! You won't need to because we'll all stand together to keep you safe!"

More people came around, calling for their 'Himesama' and expressed their love and loyalty for the princess and her family. As the tears openly streamed down her cheeks, Sakura didn't know how she could have waited so long before doing something to help these people, the people that cared for her as she did for them.

-----------

Standing timidly outside her father's room, Sakura hesitated for a moment. The carriage had arrived to take her away and she wanted to say goodbye to Emperor Kinomoto first. However, at the same time, she didn't want to tell him goodbye, for it might feel to her that she would never return if she did… Her thoughts were interrupted when the door slid open and she looked up into the eyes of her father. She had never seen him looking this tired and there were dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep; but he still smiled when he saw her. After a morning greeting, Sakura stared down at the floor as she murmured quietly, and almost inaudibly, that the carriage had arrived. Fujitaka caught every word. Crouching down to her level, Fujitaka placed both hands on her shoulders and when she still refused to face him, lifted her chin so that she would look at him.

"Why are you doing this?" he demanded of her quietly. "Do you not realize what you're getting yourself into?" He didn't want to voice all his concerns, of what Shui Ken might do to his precious daughter… No matter what the Chinese prince said, he never believed a word of it.

Sakura bit her lip, trying not to show how much the prospect of leaving her father's side frightened her. _I don't want to go_, Sakura thought despairingly, _I'm so scared about everything!_ But she swallowed those words inside her. No matter what, she would not back out. "Otousama," she said, fighting to keep the tremor out of her voice, "I have to go, not only for you, but for everyone that has fought so hard to protect our homes, our lives. If this is the _only_ thing that Chinese prince wants, then so be it." With her head lowered, she tried to hide the tears welling up in her eyes. Still, two tears visibly made their way down Sakura's cheeks. "I don't want any more people to die!" Without another word, Fujitaka pulled his daughter close to him in a tight embrace.

_She has the kindest heart_, Fujitaka thought, _and the purest_. He knew that once Sakura set her mind to do something, she carried it through, stubbornly and determinedly. Reaching behind his neck, he unclasped a necklace he had worn since the time he met Nadeshiko, his wife. She had given it to him, telling him that this charmed trinket would always protect him. As he gazed down at the golden star encircled in pink, he knew now it was time to pass it on to someone else to protect. "Keep this," he told Sakura as he placed it around her neck, "to remember us and your home. It'll help you where you're going now." Sakura lifted the pendant to gaze upon it briefly and clung to her father as she burst into tears.

"I'll never forget you or anyone here," she choked out. "You can definitely count on that. And I'll return home as soon as I can." Fujitaka gently wiped away her tears and smiled rather sorrowfully.

"I wish you the best of luck," he said as he held her small form close to him. He didn't want to mention it now, but he couldn't shake the feeling that this was the last time he would ever see her…

-----------

"The princess has already departed the capital, Prince Li," the eunuch informed him from his crouched position on the floor. Shui Ken leisurely swirled his teacup, a bored expression on his face. "W-what would like us to do now?" the guard asked rather timidly, not wanting to disturb him. The prince's thoughts flew to Heian-kyo for a brief second. There was no hesitation for him.

"Burn it."

-----------

"No!!"

He had to get back home… He had to stop that city from burning… He had to…

Thrashing around in his bed, Touya realized that he was tangled in his bed sheets. He stopped struggling and sat up for a moment, panting heavily. _What a dream_, he thought, realizing his heart was still pounding wildly. For a moment, he really dreamed that Shui Ken had ordered his home to be burned to the ground. It was then that he noticed something else: he was still alive! His hand instinctively flew to his chest, remembering where Shui Ken has stabbed him. There was no wound at all… how could that even be possible? He could remember his last battle with Shui Ken to the last detail and when his enemy's sword has plunged into his chest, he was sure he was dead. Shui Ken had been certain as well for he had left him there to suffer and die. So why was he still alive… at that moment, he was beginning to doubt he was alive.

"You're most definitely alive," a voice informed him cheerfully from the opposite end of the room. Touya's head swivelled around and his eyes widened in surprise.

"Yuki!"

Yukito smiled brightly at him. "How are you feeling now, Toya?" he asked him with concern. "And what were you dreaming about? You kept mumbling in your sleep."

"I'm fine," Touya said slowly. He didn't answer him about the dream. "But where are we? And how did I get here? I really thought that that brat had…"

His friend nodded in response. "He nearly did, but I found you before you had died." He lifted his right hand to show him. It was glowing slightly. "I never did tell you," he continued, "never told anyone, that I possess some magic within me. Like you who can see ghosts, I can heal people with my powers. Though," he added ruefully, "trying to heal you almost killed me." A slight smile crept on Touya's lips as he shook his head with silent laughter.

"There's no point of you saving me if you aren't going to be alive, too," he said gruffly.

"I don't want you to die."

"Neither do I."

Both of them smiled at each other and said nothing. And then Yukito's expression turned sombre. "Although I'm really happy you're back with us now, Toya," he said, "it would have been so much better if you had been able to awaken sooner."

"How long have I been out of it?" Touya asked as he got up from the bed. He tilted his head to the side, and noticed how peacefully everything sounded outside; when the war was on, the sounds outside were anything but peaceful.

"A few weeks," Yukito told him bluntly. "I almost thought you would never wake up for you were hit pretty badly. Actually, everyone still thinks you're dead. As for the war," he gestured to the silence outside. "It's over and the Chinese army withdrew." Before Touya's eyes could light up further, he added, "For a price. Our side paid a high price for the war to end."

"High price?" Touya echoed his friend in confusion. Yukito nodded again, not meeting his eyes this time. "What was it?"

"I was so careless!" Yukito suddenly cried, getting up and pacing the room. "I thought that the best thing to do would have been to help you get completely better before returning to the capital. I did not even try to stop those rumours of your death (and enough people saw you 'die' to confirm it), even when I knew you were very well alive, even if not well yet. I thought… just thought that…" He fell silent.

"What was it?" Touya repeated, getting the feeling that he didn't want to know the answer at all.

"Your sister."

-----------

The battle both Touya and Shui Ken had taken part in and the battle that Touya was believed to have been killed in took place far away from the capital, farther than any battle had ever gone. The area they had been in was far even from some of the smallest villages. After the Chinese army had crushed the Japanese in that particular battle and left their remains where they were, they had moved on, edging closer and closer to Heian-kyo. Unbeknownst to anyone, a reclusive elderly couple that had settled far from any village had gone to the battlefield to at least bury those that had passed on, not wanting to leave any body disgraced in such a way as being left to rot. It was there they had come across an unconscious Yukito, who had used up nearly on of his powers to heal Touya, and the Japanese prince as well, who had not awoken since he fell near death. They had brought the two into their home and taken care of them and consented, at Yukito's request, that no one was to know where they were. Yukito had thought that if the Chinese army, especially Shui Ken, had believed Touya was dead, they might be a little more careless and certain of their victory. However, he had not counted on what Sakura had done, giving herself to Shui Ken. That news of their selfless princess spread like wildfire throughout the nation that even the couple, secluded as they were, heard of it. From that moment, Yukito hoped with all his might that Touya might awaken in time, to return to the capital and stop his sister. True, he was now awake, but he had not fully recovered yet, even if his wound had been sealed up. There was nothing anyone could do…

"Why did you do it, Sakura?" he murmured quietly, his head in his hands. He no longer knew what to do.

"Tsukishiro-san!" the mistress of the house cried, running to him. She was shaking all over and he had to hold her shoulders to keep her steady.

"What is it?" he asked with concern, bracing himself for more bad news.

"The capital…"she cried, "all the cities, everything… They're burning!"

Yukito's arms dropped to his side as he paled. _It couldn't be_, he thought wildly as he ran outside, _he couldn't have_… He stopped short. Even from far away, he could see the air above where the city and capital lay was thick with black smoke…

"We're going back."

Startled to find Touya next to him, Yukito noticed his jaw was set and his expression grim. "Toya," Yukito said with alarm, "you're still not fully re-"

"We're going back!" he insisted, his eyes blazing. And Yukito said no more to dissuade him.

-----------

The sight that greeted his eyes was one that Yukito wanted wiped from his mind forever. Upon their arrival in Heian-kyo, the city and its surrounding areas were still burning. People were running around desperately, some tries to put the fire out, children were crying… Touya had to tear his eyes away from the horror that met them and hurried back to his own home. Upon reaching it, he could automatically see that it was just like every other place he saw: completely up in flames. Before he could rush in, Yukito stopped him. There was no way anyone could enter and exit it safely now. Touya knew, but he felt just as desperate as the people he had seen earlier, wanting to do something to help, even if knowing his effort was futile.

"Oujisan! Tsukishiro-san!"

Both men turned to see who had called them and saw Chiharu nursing an injured Takashi. They recognized them as Sakura's friends and playmates. Takashi had a deep gash on his forehead, but aside from bruises, scratches, and being covered in soot, both seemed to be relatively well.

Chiharu threw her arms around Touya in a hug. "I can't believe you're still alive, Oujisan!" she cried. She pulled back to look up at him. "Everyone thought you had died months ago!" Touya patted her head a little rigidly, still unsure of what to do as he gazed back at the palace's former entrance. "Don't go in there right now," Chiharu said as she followed his gaze. "It's completely impassable. The roof collapsed just as Takashi and I left. The emperor…" she choked on her words for just a moment, her tears streaming down her cheeks, and Touya had turned his focus on her. "He's…gone… He helped Takashi and me get out, but he…" She could say no more, but Touya knew what she meant to say.

"Shui Ken double crossed us," Takashi said bitterly as he limped to their side and held Chiharu comfortingly as she cried. His eyes beheld a seriousness that was not seen often. "He said he wouldn't set fire to the city if Sakura would go with him." He swept his arm about him. "That man obviously would never keep his word once he got what he wanted."

Everyone… everything was gone… Not all, Touya reminded himself as he turned to look at his friends, but his father, his sister… The people that meant everything to him… Suddenly, something caught his attention and he turned his gaze far away, at something unseen by most people. Shui Ken and some of his men were on horseback, all carrying torches aside from the former, were watching the city ablaze with fire on a neighbouring cliffside. The Chinese prince had a pleased smirk on his face. At that moment, they all turned around and galloped away.

If it was the last thing he did, Touya would get his revenge.

-----------

Takashi was recovering quite nicely and Chiharu was happy that he'd be just fine. However, his being well meant that he was back to telling his "stories" and no matter how many times Chiharu tried to strangle him or stop him, he never gave up. Still, to herself, she didn't know what she would do if she lost him…

It had been over two weeks since Touya's return to Heian-kyo and the last remnants of the fire had only recently been put out. Their had been many casualties and homes lost but all the survivors worked hard together to try to rebuild their city. Everyone was also still in mourning for their deceased emperor. With Emperor Fujitaka gone, Touya had been named the new emperor. However, he often sat in a brooding silence for a long time and Yukito watched over him worriedly.

"Yuki," Touya had said suddenly one night, "we have to get Sakura back, no matter what. Until we do, I can't take up my duties as the emperor."

"I'll help you however I can," was Yukito's only response.

Now that he knew his next step, Touya went to see his father's – and now his – advisors, Terada Yoshiyuki and Hiiragizawa Eriol. Both of these men were good friends with Fujitaka, as well as loyal subjects. They would have lain their own lives for Fujitaka if they could have and would have done the same for Touya and Sakura. Yoshiyuki was a literary scholar and sometimes tutor and Eriol was a magician. Both had served their former emperor for many years and would continue to do the same for their new emperor.

Upon finding them, Touya bowed down low to both of them, and asked them to 'stand in' for him as he had to leave and take Sakura back from that backstabbing Chinese prince.

"Touya-san," Eriol reprimanded him immediately, "stand up right now. An emperor should _never_ bow down to his subjects, no matter the circumstances."

"We'll do our best to help you until you return," Yoshiyuki told him softly. "For now, we wish you both a safe journey."

-----------

As Touya and Yukito sat on horseback on the outskirts of the city, they watched the people begin to rebuild in silence. Touya couldn't help feeling extremely guilty that he was not there to help them and was almost tempted to turn around and head back.

"You mustn't worry about us," Chiharu said suddenly, popping in. Takashi was with her. Touya, startled by their sudden arrival, could say nothing. "It's okay, Touya-sama," Chiharu said, "because everyone understands. We all love Sakura and that she was taken away like this answered everyone. We'll all do our best to help you, our emperor, until you return." He recognized the same words Yoshiyuki spoke the night before and his eyes flashed with determination again. "Here." Chiharu and Takashi had bowed low, each presenting a mask to Yukito and Touya respectively. "We made these masks for you to wear on your journey."

"Chiharu had made yours, Tsukishiro-san," Takashi told Yukito as she gave him the mask with the cheerful smile, "and I made yours, Emperor Touya." He pointed at the expression on the mask he made. "See?" he gestured with a bright smile. "I made it with a scowling face because you always have that scowling expression."

"Yamazaki…" Chiharu cried in indignation at the same time Touya began, "You…!" with irritation marks popping.

"But you only scowl when Sakura isn't with you," Takashi continued to say, "so you should hurry up and bring her back." Touya's expression softened and he nodded curtly, accepting the mask from him.

Both Takashi and Chiharu watched them ride off, everyone's hopes on their shoulders.

"You know what," Takashi said suddenly as the two of them began to walk back to the city, "ancient legend always said that if you gave your mask your own name and put it on, the mask would get stuck to you and you can never ever take it off. This whole village of people even tried to-"

"Yeah, yeah," Chiharu said, rolling her eyes as she dragged him away by the ear. Undeterred, Takashi still continued with his story. With a private smile, Chiharu knew that someday, everything would be as it was again.

--End Flashback--

Sometime later, Sakura stirred, feeling as if she had been asleep for days, rather than unconscious for a few hours. She wondered briefly if everything had been just a dream, seeing her brother and Yukito again… The sound of someone snickering drew her attention.

"Only a monster like you could faint dead away like that," Touya said with an impish grin as he limped toward her from the chair he was sitting a few paces away from her bed.

"I'm not a monster!" she cried out angrily, instantly reacting by stomping on his foot as she said it, an irritation mark popping up. But her face suddenly fell and she burst into tears. Touya gathered her in his arms and she cried into his chest. "I don't care!" she said through her tears. "You can call me 'monster' as much as you want!" Nothing else matters now that she knew oniisama was still alive.

Touya only continued to hold her tenderly and close to him and in the background, Yukito smiled contentedly at seeing the two siblings reunited again after so long. He was also happy that he had brought Touya back to her as he had promised…

He gets up to leave but someone grasps his sleeve, stopping him from moving any farther away. He turns around and sees that the hand belongs to Sakura, just like that time before. She holds her hand out to him and he takes her hand and she squeezes his gently, still having a hard time believing the two people she loved most were with her at that very moment.

In that one silent moment, Sakura's completely forgot about Xiao Lang and everything to do with him and China.

---------------------------------

Author's Note: -nervous laugh- Um…um… This is directed to all those comments about "Sakura and the Chinese Prince" from the last chapter: go back and reread chapter twelve, now!! =) Actually, most of that part was written before, mostly from Shui Ken's point of view. The part from last chapter was just Sakura's side of the same story.

-bows- Sorry about the boring flashback chapters. They were necessary in their own right? But, yeah, we're back to "present time" next chapter.

Ah, about the use of "yoroshiku", Shui Ken technically used it when he said to "please treat me well". "Dozo yoroshiku" is often used after meeting/greeting a person for the first time and the general meaning of it can be "please treat me well" or "please take care of me".

And not that I find this entirely necessary to note, but I'll say it anyway. CCS is one of those series I completely, wholeheartedly adore. I also love each and every one of the canon couplings in this series (I support them like mad! XD). In reference to that, even if I were to go against canon for a while, who said it would always stay that way? I have nothing more to say about that matter as the end is not yet near.

Author's Note to SITA295: Actually, I just uploaded the entire site to another one of my subdomains. =) Haven't had time to go over the site thoroughly, to check for broken links and whatnot, since I had uploaded all of it in a rush, but I'll comb it with a fine tooth comb the next chance I get.

Author's Note to Hanna: Here's just me wondering: have you even read/watched CCS? Also, I hate you for finishing so fast. No, no, I do love you, but I hate everyone that ends before I do. XD -blames dang tofu for her late exam!!

Author's Note to lilqtazn35: Oh, it was only going to be two for both of them put together. =) (Originally supposed to just be one chapter, but the whole thing got a little too long to cram into one chapter.) We'll see you back in the "present" in the next chapter. =)

And thank you BabyWolfGurl, jenn, MimiGhost, Piccoleia Star, Red-Emerald, MoshiMoshiQueen, FuyuSarah, Linky-chan, cherrixwolf, Kit TayLor, AnG3L1c diVa-chan, Final Fantasy Princess, Umiko Morimoto, SakuraAyanami, Meinien, sally, Eternal Ice, SITA295, QTKawaii25, silverymare, Yukimi Yuki Takiro, The Crystally Water, Lost Dawg, fallenangel, Yaua, There-is-No-Time, fleur137, and rubygurl for your reviews-!!

-Sakura   
--The Animé Archives


	22. The Heart Speaks

**The Guiding Star**

The Heart Speaks: Chapter Twenty-Two

By: Sakura Kinomoto

"It still feels like a dream to me," Sakura said softly, pulling away just slightly to look up into the eyes of her betrothed. Then she nestled back in his arms again and his warm embrace.

It was only midday but Touya, still recovering from his wounds, had kicked both of them outside so that he may rest. Sakura suspected he had an ulterior motive for doing so, even if she couldn't necessarily prove it. And although she wanted to stay with her brother, she was glad for the moment alone with Yukito. After all, there was so much she had to say to him…

"If this is indeed a dream," Yukito whispered into her ear, "I hope I never wake up from it." Sakura reddened slightly at his words. However, before she could respond, he bent down and covered her mouth with his own.

The kiss was still the same: loving, sweet, filled with everlasting care. But her feelings were no longer the same. In a sense, they were. Sakura really loved Yukito. It was just a different sort of love from the one that she felt for Xiao Lang. The love she had for Yukito had turned almost platonic. She still had the same "hanyaan" feeling when she was around him. Only, it felt like nothing in comparison to her feelings for a particular Chinese Prince.

"Yu-Yukito-san…" she began. He pulled away from her a little, still cupping her face with both hands. Sakura in turn had rested her hands on his wrists, liking the comfort of his touch. That was something that could never change. "I…" she hesitated for a moment. "I have to… tell you something…"

The older man's head was tilted slightly questioningly and his expression maintained the same gentleness that never left the atmosphere about him. His smile was one that encouraged her to continue, that told her she could tell him anything and he would always listen.

For Sakura, it was something she had a hard time expressing. How to explain how her love had changed? To have believed Yukito was gone forever was very difficult for the princess to come to terms with in the beginning. Her love for him ran deep. The misery and loneliness in her heart had been more than she could bear. But after all that, she came to the realization that even if he was gone, she could still move on with her life. However, when she was apart from Xiao Lang, it tore her up so much inside, leaving her with emptiness. Even if she could not be Xiao Lang's number one, she also knew that she could never be with someone that wasn't him. She was concerned that one person might end up 'substituting' for the other, and knew it just wouldn't be fair to either that person or the prince she loved. She had been surprised to find out that even Yukito and her own brother could no longer fill in that gap Xiao Lang had left in her, happy as she was to find them again. With that knowledge, she refused to tie Yukito down when he could find someone else that would make him truly happy. Xiao Lang or no one… She would just be contented with staying by his side… And that she had to tell Yukito.

Her eyes had been brimming with tears and they fell now, slowly. Yukito gently wiped them away with his thumbs as he waited for her to speak again. She moved her right hand to press his hand against her cheek, closing her eyes as she felt the warmth from his hand. She could almost imagine her father were here… She opened her eyelids and looked earnestly into his, eyes always filled with warmth and kindness. "Yukito-san, I…"

"Let go of her!"

Both Sakura and Yukito whirled around to see who the voice belonged to. Standing not more than ten paces away was Xiao Lang with Wing Kay, each with their respective weapon in hand. It was Xiao Lang that had spoken. "Step away from her, San Kong," Xiao Lang said in a low voice, knowing whom the other was by the cheerful mask resting atop his head.

'San Kong', rather Yukito, stood before Sakura, blocking her from the Chinese prince's view. "I'm sorry," he said with unaccustomed coolness, "but we have no intention of giving Sakura away to you." It was the first time Xiao Lang had seen the man's face and he was mildly surprised to see that 'San Kong' was only a few years older than him. Regardless, the prince's eyes flashed with anger and he leapt toward him, brandishing his sword. Metal struck metal as Yukito blocked with his own unsheathed blade. Xiao Lang glared at him as he continued with his attacks, trying to push the other away from Sakura. His opponent still managed to stay more or less rooted to the same spot.

Yukito counterattacked all of Xiao Lang's moves smoothly but knowing who the latter was, he did not fight him too aggressively, despite what he had said. Somehow, he got the feeling that if he were to hurt this boy, Sakura would be unhappy with him. Also, he had no hard feelings against this Chinese prince and knew that Xiao Lang wasn't tarred with the same brush as Shui Ken. He just wanted to keep his promise with Touya that they wouldn't return to Heian-kyo without Sakura.

Sakura, surprised at seeing _him_ appearing before her again, could not utter a word as they parried. She didn't know why he was here now and why he wanted to fight Yukito. Worse yet, she didn't know whom she was supposed to support, if anyone. Both Xiao Lang and Yukito held special places in her heart and she didn't want anything to happen to either of them. It might have sounded silly, but she felt as if they were actually battling inside her. That would certainly explain the ache she felt in it as she watched them.

At that moment, Yukito spied an opening and knocked Xiao Lang's sword out of his hand. If Xiao Lang wasn't surprised at that, he definitely was when Yukito dropped his own sword soon after. "Prince Li," he said, "you're really someone I don't want to fight." Xiao Lang regarded him suspiciously.

"And why should I believe a word you have to say?" he asked warily, not dropping his guard in the least bit. Sakura sighed in relief. Even if neither of them trusted each other yet, at least they were no longer fighting. It was then she saw Wing Kay standing ready with her bow and arrow aimed at Yukito, and when a droplet of clear liquid slid off the tip of that arrow and splattered on the ground did Sakura regain her voice.

"No!" she cried, moving toward her. "You can't! He's also a magic user!" It was too late. The arrow had been loosed and whistled swiftly through the air, landing squarely on Yukito's right shoulder-blade. Yukito's eyes widened when the arrow struck him and before he could reach over to remove it, it started its work. Electricity began to surround him and he cried out in pain, collapsing against the wall.

Unbeknownst to either Sakura or Yukito, Xiao Lang and Wing Kay had accidentally stumbled across them when they first stepped outside. Xiao Lang had been scouring the city for the past few days, looking for Sakura and wandered aimlessly everywhere around it in doing so. Somehow, both of them had misinterpreted Sakura and Yukito's embrace and Xiao Lang had thought the latter had done something to hurt her when tears openly streamed down her cheeks after he had pulled away (neither of them had witnessed their kiss). From there, they had made the agreement that Xiao Lang would lure San Kong away from Sakura so that Wing Kay could knock him unconscious with her arrows. If Xiao Lang wasn't able to move San Kong from Sakura's side, then he would feign an opening, pretend to be surprised, and when the opponent felt a little more sure of himself and became careless, Wing Kay could then hit him with one of her arrows. It did not occur to either of them that he may be a magic user and thus they carried out their plan as such.

Sakura was by Yukito's side in a heartbeat, one hand still covering her mouth in horror. The only thing she could remember at that moment was Wing Kay's words from a long time ago. _If a normal person is hit by it, they instantly lose all of their energy and go unconscious for a few hours. However, if someone that can use magic gets hit, the same thing will happen, except they will also die as soon as their energy is drained._ The blue volts were already surrounding his body, eating away his life energy. He leaned heavily against the wall with his eyes closed. No matter how Yukito tried to fight it, he couldn't stop the pain that rippled throughout his entire body, feeling too weak to try to do anything. He could dimly see Sakura before him, shouting at him, the fear and concern deep in her eyes. He wanted to reach out to her and tell her everything would definitely be all right. Then she disappeared from his sight as he slumped down into the cold depths of unconsciousness.

"Yukito-san! Yukito-san, wake up!" Sakura cried tearfully, attempting to shake him awake. She felt a shock the moment she touched him as the volts snaked their way toward her and let go. After all, she had an inkling of magic within her as well… She wiped the tears from her eyes with her sleeves and took a deep breath. So what if she had magic? None of that mattered, not when it came to Yukito's life. With determination anew, she planted both hands firmly on the shaft of the arrow and tried to pull it out with all her might. A scream ripped from her throat as the electricity, now travelling through the arrow, surrounded her as well, the pain excruciating. But she did not let go and continued to tug with all her strength.

Xiao Lang and Wing Kay watched in horror at what she was doing. "Stop her, she's going to kill herself doing that," Wing Kay said anxiously to him. The Chinese prince was well aware of that grim fact as he ran to her side and tried to pull her away. The energy shocked him as well the moment he touched her, his hand slightly singed from where they had made contact. He attempted again, ignoring the pain he felt in his only useful limb.

"Sakura," he shouted, "let go! It's going to kill you, too, if you don't!" Sakura shrugged off the hand on her shoulder and continued tugging at the arrow, ignoring his words completely. Even if it burned her hands, she would _not_ let anything happen to Yukito. Xiao Lang moved to try to stop her once more when Wing Kay put a hand on his shoulder.

"Let me do it, Xiao Lang," she said quietly. "It's my fault that this happened."

"It's not your fault," he argued. "It was just an accident. Neither of us knew."

"True," she answered, "but I'm also the only one who can touch Sakura and not be hurt by the potion's properties." Moving past him, she reached Sakura's side. "Sakura," she said, trying to pull the younger girl's arm back, despite Sakura's struggling to move away from her, "I don't know why you're trying to save him, but it can't be done! You know that! Don't let this person take you away from us again!"

"I'm sorry, Wing Kay," Sakura finally gasped out, her grip tightening more than ever on the arrow. Her eyesight was swimming in front of her as everything began to turn hazy. She couldn't think quite straight anymore with her energy going fast. One lone thought remained in her head: that everything would be okay if she could just pull out this arrow… She vaguely recalled in her mind the last time a magic user was struck and still survived. If Chi Yuen could do the "impossible", who was to say she couldn't? "I won't… let anything happen to… him…" Her mind suddenly cleared and the star pendant at her throat glowed with a pink light.

That's right, she would _not_ let anything happen to him. There was no way he was going to leave her - and the people he cared for - like this. With one sudden outburst of strength, the arrow pulled free and Sakura dropped to her knees on the ground, the arrow still clutched tightly in her grasp, the last remaining remnants of its effects shown through the disappearing zaps of energy about it. Relief diffused through her body and numbed the pain. It wasn't too last, for in seconds, her eyes closed and she fell forward. The arrow slipped from her fingers and rolled harmlessly away on the ground. The soil from the earth felt cool and refreshing against her cheek and the thought that 'it would always be all right' was the last thing on her mind as everything mercifully turned black when she lost consciousness.

"Sakura!" cried both Xiao Lang and Wing Kay when she fell. Before either of them could reach her side, a tall, broad-shouldered man swiftly stepped in their way. Xiao Lang recognized who he was, even if he had never seen his face before. The expression this man had mirrored the scowl on the mask he always wore.

"Touch either my sister or Yuki," he told them in a low threatening tone, "and I'll kill you."

-

Xiao Lang's first inclination was to not believe his words. It was because he recalled Sakura telling him, a long time ago, that her entire family and all her friends had perished in the fire that engulfed her home. If it was so, there was no way this man could be her brother. However, there was something in his eyes and his expression that convinced the Chinese Prince that, even if he was telling a lie, he would not try to harm Sakura. And if he tried to hurt her, Xiao Lang intended to whisk her away in a moment's notice.

Touya had already lain both his sister and Yukito on the only bed in the bigger of the two rooms in the place when Xiao Lang, rather hesitantly, entered the shelter with Wing Kay. With his back to the door, the older man never saw them enter. That's not to say he wasn't aware of their presence in the room. The first action in his mind was to kick the two of them out of there, except two problems would occur from this. One was that Touya was still in no condition to fight anyone and he had to watch over his sister and Yuki. Secondly, the ninth prince, Shui Ken, was most likely still in the town and if he caught sight of his own half-brother, he would be certain that Sakura was also there and would do everything to find her if he was sure she hadn't left the town yet. It was for these reasons he was resigned to keeping these two with him, and out of sight from anyone that could report them. Satisfied that Yukito and Sakura were okay - if for the moment - he turned to face the newcomers. If they hadn't already guessed, the look on his face confirmed how much their presence disgusted him.

"You better not go anywhere, brat," he addressed the prince as he reached for an empty bucket by the side of the bed. Picking it up, he walked, with a barely perceivable limp, toward Wing Kay and thrust the pail in her hands to her surprise. "As for you, go make yourself useful this time and get us some water," he ordered brusquely. "Either way, I don't want to see your face." Anger flickered in Xiao Lang's eyes and he sprang up to her defense immediately. He stopped, however, when Wing Kay held up her hand to stop him. Without answering Touya, she took the bucket from him, bowed curtly, and left the room. She knew she was in no place to argue; she had been directly at fault and could understand his anger. If anyone hurt the people she cared for, she would also be justifiably angry. Clenching her hands tighter around the handle of the pail as she walked, Wing Kay was ready to do anything to atone for her mistake, and prayed that Sakura would pull through okay.

When Wing Kay had left, Touya turned his hostile eyes back in Xiao Lang's direction. "Make yourself useful for a change, brat." The younger man didn't show it, but he bristled at that word. _Brat, brat, brat,_ he fumed silently. _First Yu Hong, then Chi Yuen, and now this guy!_ "Tell me how to cure them," Touya continued.

"I don't know," was the Prince's lofty reply. Touya reached out and grabbed him by his collar, dragging him upward.

"So you're willing to just let them die!" he demanded.

"Of course not!" Xiao Lang retorted angrily. "We honestly have no idea what to do! Once hit by an arrow, no person with magic has ever survived its…" his voice trailed off, recalling Chi Yuen. On the other hand, Chi Yuen most definitely had a great deal of power that would take a while to be completely absorbed by the arrow. He had no idea how much power Sakura and this Yukito stored. Touya still had not loosened his grip on the prince.

"Then at least tell me this: why did you attack Yuki in the first place?"

Xiao Lang knew this man would neither condone his reason or even believe it in the first place. Yet he still answered him truthfully. "We thought he was hurting Sakura so we were trying to protect her."

Touya stared at him for a while, a look of disbelief on his face. It soon changed to disgust. "_You_? Protect her?" he spat out bitterly. "Where were you those few times she was nearly captured by the imperial guards? Or the moment she _was_ caught by your brother? And also that time Chi Yuen had tricked her?" With his left hand, he roughly gripped Xiao Lang's right arm, still nestled tightly in its cast, and raised it to their eye level. The prince winced at the sudden movement. "How did you expect to protect her when you can't even protect yourself!" he cried, shaking the limp arm before him before dropping it in disgust, as if it were poisonous to touch.

Still holding the prince's collar in a tight grip, Touya glared down with loathing at him. Xiao Lang returned the gaze unflinchingly, ignoring the shooting pain in his arm. "Ever since you and your family came into our home," he continued in a cold fury, "you've all caused nothing but trouble. Because of your family, I lost my father and damn near lost my own home. My best friend almost disappeared forever from me and my own sister was stolen away." He paused to take a deep breath. Xiao Lang said not a word to this, his expression indifferent, not bothering to justify anything he had done or been done by people that shared his blood. The scowl on Touya's face deepened. "Things would have been different if none of you had ever come to see us. Our people needn't have suffered; our family and friends would have been fine. Sakura lost many years of happiness where she could have already been happily wed to Yukito instead of just engaged and waiting for him to come home - not knowing for certain if he would even return - after the war." There was a flicker of surprise in Xiao Lang's eyes this time at hearing about the engagement, something Sakura had never once mentioned to him. It was not out of the ordinary that a girl like Sakura would be engaged. It had just never occurred to him before. Strangely, he wanted to know more about it. Instead, he held his tongue.

"I won't allow you to continue using my sister for your own means and I won't let you keep taking the people that mean the most to me," he continued, his voice low and threatening. "If anything happens to either her or Yuki, I'm blaming it all on you."

"I don't."

Startled, both turned to face the speaker. Yukito appeared to have been sitting up for quite some time, quietly observing them. "Yuki," Touya said, a hint of relief in his tone. His hold loosened on the other's lapels and Xiao Lang wretched himself free from his grasp and straightened up as Touya moved forward to attend to his friend.

The Chinese prince felt no less relief than the Japanese one that Yukito appeared to be in good health once again. He hated to think he was the cause of an innocent person's death. And yet, at the same time, the full force of Touya's earlier words struck him once more. Sakura and Yukito were actually engaged… There was a dull, unexplainable ache in his chest.

"I don't blame you at all," Yukito said with a slight smile. "After all, how were you to know our intentions? Looking at it from your viewpoint, everything you did was really to help Sakura and I can't grudge you on your efforts there." Unlike Touya, Yukito bore no especial hatred for this particular prince. If anything, he was grateful that the fifteenth son had taken care of Sakura all these months while they were unable to do much other than watch. Without Touya's bias, he respected the younger man. He glanced down at the sleeping princess beside him before turning back to Xiao Lang with a bright, rather amused smile. "But I don't think I'm wrong in saying that I think we're rivals now," he commented innocently. Confusion lighted on Xiao Lang's expression. Rivals for what? Yukito said no more and only continued to smile. Nor did he have time to ponder what he meant.

At that moment, the girl beside the fair-haired man was beginning to stir from her slumber and she sleepily opened her eyelids, blinking at the sudden light. Everything was hazy in her mind and she wasn't altogether sure where she was and what had happened, other than the fact her body was aching tremendously and her hands felt strangely tender and raw. Taking a glance to her right, she saw someone looking down kindly at her. "Welcome back, Sakura-chan," Yukito said with a smile. It all flooded back at once. Sakura immediately pushed herself up and hugged him, her head buried in his chest.

"Yukito-san, are you okay?" she asked, her bandaged fingers tightening its grasp on his shirt. Yukito encircled his arms around her and hugged her back.

"I'm fine now," he told her soothingly, gently patting her head with one hand as he held her close. "All thanks to you. How about you?"

"Hah, nothing can ever do much damage to this monster," Touya snickered in the background. Sakura pulled away from Yukito, her lips pressed together in annoyance and she looked ready to smack him on the side of the head as he grinned at her. Instead, she threw her arms around him as well and hugged her brother. "Ah, the monster's attacking me, help!" he cried in mock distress. Sakura moved back once to give him a playful punch in the shoulder and laughed for the first time in a long time as he gently caught her bandaged hands with his. She was completely unaware of the third person in the room.

Since the moment Sakura had awoken, Xiao Lang was more than a little relieved that she did. However, when he stepped forward to move to her side, to see her, Touya had blocked his way when he sat down on the bed beside them first. Any last lingering doubt on who "Shi Kuang" truly was vanished when he saw Sakura reach over to hug her older brother. That was something that would no longer bother him. On the other hand, the longer he watched them, the more he felt like an intruder in their world and turned to leave instead. He didn't want to admit it, but his heart thumped painfully in his chest and he had given up figuring out why.

"Sakura-chan, don't push yourself yet," he heard Yukito scolding her gently behind him. "Wait until you've fully regained your energy."

"I'm really okay now, honest," she said, her voice sounding almost distant to his ears.

"Yeah," Touya smirked, "there's just no way to defeat this monster."

"Niisama!" she cried in protest.

It was then that Xiao Lang didn't want to hear anymore. Nor did he want to see it. He understood that she just might not have seen him, but he couldn't help but wish that perhaps she'd have known he had also been there, that he was also worried about her. Shaking away those thoughts and with a heavy heart, he silently slipped away. This did not go unnoticed for Touya had kept one eye on him the entire time and watched him leave.

"Just get well soon, monster," Touya told his sister in a slightly softer tone. "We'll leave as soon as you're completely better again."

"Eh?" She blinked in surprise. "Where to?"

Now it was Touya's turn to be surprised and his expression darkened. Could she…? "Home," he answered simply. "Heian-kyo."

At hearing those words, he saw her hesitate and she didn't respond. He had been right, much as he hated to be. He knew she was hesitating because she was thinking of that brat. Without a word, he sat up abruptly and left the room, now walking with a strong purposeful stride, Yukito and Sakura watching with concern as he went.

-

Wing Kay had not yet returned, so Touya found Xiao Lang sitting listlessly by himself in the adjacent room. He didn't even look up when Touya entered. Deep down, the older man knew that if this kid wasn't part of the Li royal family, if he wasn't the brother of that despicable Shui Ken, perhaps he wouldn't have had so much prejudice against him, barring the fact that he had been using Sakura's power for the past few months. If he would cut ties with the Kinomoto family, Touya could probably find himself grudging able to forgive him. Until then…

Having gotten used to addressing him rudely in the past, using his hatred as his excuse, Touya found no reason to change now. "Hey, brat," he called out to him. There was no response, nor did he expect any. He sat down in the seat before the prince instead. "I want you to stop using Sakura for your own means," he told him coolly. "She has friends and family that truly care for her, not like-"

As if he could no longer hold it in, Xiao Lang lifted his head and glared at Touya. "We care about her, too!" he retorted angrily. "I already intended to ask her - no, tell her - to go with her friends and family instead!" _Because I care,_ he also wanted to scream at him. Both men regarded each other hostilely before Xiao Lang got up and returned to the room Sakura was in, intending to tell her himself. As he left, Touya didn't know whether he was relieved or concerned over Xiao Lang's words and actions. However, he knew everything would definitely be all right as long as everyone was back where they belonged. And that meant Sakura going back to Japan with him and Yuki. He would _never_ leave her behind in this place by herself again, that he promised himself.

-

When Touya had left, Yukito moved from his place on the bed and occupied Touya's former seat by the bedside, so he could face Sakura and see the anxious expression on her face. "Don't worry about him," he told her, patting her shoulder, "Toya's just worried about you and really wants you to come home. But if you have a reason you really want to stay behind, we'll be glad to hear it." He didn't tell her that he knew full well that Sakura would not leave Xiao Lang unless he asked her to.

Sakura smiled wanly in response, even if that wasn't what she was worried about at the moment. Biting her lip, she carefully slid the ring from her finger and clutched it tight in her hands, holding it close to her heart. She then took the ring and placed it in Yukito's open palm and closed his fingers around the ring with her own. Yukito watched her the entire time and looked down at the closed fist, a sad smile on his face. Sakura leaned into him so that he couldn't see the tears rolling down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, Yukito-san," she choked out. "I love you, but… I just can't marry you anymore." He wrapped his arms around her trembling form and rocked her gently. He knew this was coming. He had expected it.

"Don't worry, Sakura-chan," he said, stroking her hair gently. He held up her hands, still wrapped in bandages, up to show her. "Although I know you love me, I also know it's not the same kind of love anymore, even though you'd still risk your life to save mine. When you look at me," he paused to chuckle, "it's almost like I'm Toya now. You have to know that I would never do anything to make you unhappy. And despite how much we want to bring you back home, I get the feeling you wouldn't be as happy there as you are here right now, no matter the circumstances." Sakura swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded, not trusting her voice then. When she found it, all she could do was whisper her apologies to him over and over as he continued to pat her back gently and dry her tears with soothing words.

And had Xiao Lang known the substance of their conversation when he walked into the room at that moment, he might have been less determined to leave the place as soon as possible and never look back.

Yukito was the first to notice his entrance and spoke a few hurried words to Sakura, helping her wipe away the few remaining tears, before he got up to leave. When Xiao Lang saw her smile up at the older man, his heart thumped queerly. He was very relieved to see her well and smiling again, as she should be. It was this smile that he had vowed to protect, this girl that he had always loved…

The prince paused in step. What on earth was he thinking? He liked Sakura a great deal, that much he was certain, but love? The only girl he loved was-

At a hand touching his shoulder, he was pulled from his thoughts and blinked questioningly at Yukito. "It's your turn," he said, with a smile, passing the baton on to him. He opened the door and left the room, closing it quietly behind him. Xiao Lang turned back to face Sakura, who was watching him intently from the bed. His heart beat painfully against his ribcage. He suddenly remembered the first time he had met her, in the palace gardens. It seemed ages since that time, even if it was only a few months ago. He felt as if she had always been with him, always been by his side.

He hadn't meant to, but all this time, he had taken her for granted, always expecting that she would remain with him no matter what. When he fled the palace, he had taken her with him. When he needed to go on his mission, she had come with him. Everywhere he went, she was there. And now that he had to let her go… he knew very well he didn't want her to leave him.

Had he forgotten the pain and anger he felt when Chi Yuen had taken her away from him? Had he forgotten how much he truly cared for her? The answer was, he had. Seeing Wing Kay again, the love from his youth, had made him forget everything about Sakura and his love for her. The one he really loved wasn't Wing Kay, could never be Wing Kay. How could he be such a fool to miss it? The only person he truly loved was Kinomoto Sakura, the girl that had captured his heart from the first day they had met. The answer had hit him, then, like a load of bricks. He couldn't tear her out of his life now any more than he could rip his immobile right arm off from his body.

Why did this realization occur now? Why hadn't he seen it sooner? There was a time when Xiao Lang had wondered if Sakura could ever love him as he had loved her, but the moment Wing Kay stepped into his life again, his feelings were trapped in a whirlwind. He couldn't make sense of all of it, didn't even try to, and clung to the past instead. Now… he just couldn't tell Sakura that she had to leave them… leave _him_.

And with that gnawing pain in his chest, he stood facing her and tried to find the words to say it.

_Sakura, there is only_ one _person in my heart. _

And I'm looking at her right now.

* * *

Author's Note: Syaoran's declaration of love!

…even if it's only to himself. :P

Sometimes, I really do wonder if I ought to commit seppuku. I don't mean to take so long to update one measly chapter, but it's become increasingly hard to find the time to write plus it's so difficult to get the ideas out of my mind and the words just never sound right on paper when I do get them out of my head. :(

On the plus side, ignoring my writer's block when it comes to the actual writing of chapters, my block on ideas has temporarily vanished and now I'm just flooded with them. :D -pokes school work aside since she just wants to devote her time to writing …and sewing.- X3

I do wonder though, since it's been so long since I get to sit down and just write, has my writing style changed? For better? Or worse? I feel as if my writing had degraded a lot since I started and I know there's still tons of need for improvement. - But Sakura will keep persevering and will not give up on this story. :)

The site for this fic has changed to taa. Not so sure what happened to kings-quest, so this should be it's semi-permanent location. I'll try to update the site sometime soon, perhaps after my in-class exam is finished (on reading week now).

Thank you to everyone that has still stayed with me after all this time and thanks for your support. It definitely means a lot to me. :) Consider this as a 1-day late Valentines Day gift! XD

Author's Note to Final Fantasy Princess: So many? There's only three that ever loved her in that way (and I don't even mean "so far") though technically now it's two since we all know where Yukito's _true_ feelings lie. ;)

Author's Note to Red-Emerald: To be honest, when I first began writing it, that's what I thought of, too, about _everyone_ and _everything_ perishing in the fire. (And learning in class that Kyoto/Heian-kyo in the past tended to go up in flames a lot because of what the structures were made of helped tons, too. -insert smilie-ish face I usually make/want to make but can't because of the no symbol thing-) In the first chapter, I had never intended for Touya to still be alive. That changed somewhere along the way, obviously. :P But, yeah, Shui Ken, after all, would never tell Sakura if there was something to go back to lest she try to go back, ne? So sometimes we just can't believe everything he says.

Author's Note to Naomi: ………I'll admit you shocked me for a bit there. :P -huggles her fic- TGS is my baby; and there's nothing I despise more than plagiarism. I was confused at first about what you were referring to, but I saw where it was coming from so no worries. :)

Author's Note to xSmall Dreamerx: Regarding the clothes, for one, over Chinese history, the clothes are not the same as those portrayed in those Chinese movies set in the past, which are typically (but not always) Qing Dynasty style of clothing. I originally planned to go by Qing Dynasty clothing, as well, but as my fic has become completely AU (think of it as another world that also has a Japan and China in it; like how Clamp's Tsubasa -RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE- has all those different worlds), I tend to incorporate different styles from the different dynasties.

Author's Note to "anon": How come you don't start your sentences with a capital? How come you call yourself anon? And how ever did you guess my age? So few people ever get that correct. And I will be turning eleven soon, thank you very much. X3

Author's Note to Auroratwin: If Sakura may seem "weak" now, it would be because she still needs time to grow, mentally, emotionally, physically, and all those other (insert word)ally. The Sakura in this world is the same as the one in the CCS world, the Tsubasa world, and yet not. They're still each their own person with their own growth and pacing, even if they have the same heart/soul.

Author's Note to IchigoPocky: Mmm, a friend shared some ichigo pocky with me over the weekend of CNAnime2004; yummy:D Heh, after all that, I couldn't hate the idea of Yukito/Sakura either (even Clow expected them to be together! X3), but I'm a stickler to canon, especially CCS canon, so it should all work out in the end regardless, ne?

Author's Note to Sarah the original: If you mean original Japanese characters like those used in the Hiragana and Katakana alphabets, then yes, I can read and write those. If you're referring to Kanji, I'm still learning that one. :) It requires so much memorization… -sighs-

Author's Note to hannagrace: Yeah, I knew about that bit last time I went and re-read it. The problem occurred where that last bit had originally been written in present tense when I was sorting out ideas/how to write the next part and had then forgotten to adjust it all to past tense when I wrote the actual story. Been meaning to go back and correct that… and all the mistakes in chapter 19, too. -sweatdrops- "Harsh" wa janai yo! You're not harsh at all. I still think you can be even more critical of my writing than that. ;P -huggles- School is ebil. Down with school!

And thank you Redhot Devilgirl x2, Yuki-Rabbit, sweet-strawberry692003, maixwolfblossom, HyEcHaN, cherrixwolf, fleur137, FuyuSarah, QTKawaii25, rubygurl, sally x2, BabyWolfGurl, WezL, Piccoleia Star, lilqtazn35, Yukimi Yuki Takiro, xSmall Dreamerx x2, Feathers1, Kitiara, Eternal Ice, dreamergalz, Night, ChibiYuffie1, Sslover, Sarah the original, RubyMstar, Kado shujin Sara, JediBubbles, girlnextdoor x2, Cherry and the Wolf, lil-asian-gurl, Serenity's Blaim, Pika 569, Light in the Darkness, Wolf Jade, Mariko, and Strained Blue for your reviews!

-Sakura  
-The Animé Archives


	23. Different Paths

**The Guiding Star**

Different Paths: Chapter Twenty-Three

By: Sakura Kinomoto

_I love_ you…

Sakura stared at him, as if in disbelief. Xiao Lang stood hesitantly by the door, wondering if he had overstepped his bounds and had gone and confessed to a girl that already belonged to someone else. His left hand tightened in a fist and he didn't even realize he was holding his breath, waiting for her answer. But looking at her face, it was like seeing a rainbow after years of endless rain.

"I've always felt… the same…" she told him, her eyes and expression clearly displaying the feelings from her heart. Hand unclenched, he ran to her, and she got up and met him halfway, joyously embracing each other. The prince held her close to him and wanted to hold her with both arms, to protect her with those two arms. It was like a dream…

"Xiao Lang?"

Xiao Lang blinked in surprise and wiped his eyes with the back of his left hand. Sakura was looking up at him with concern. He found himself to still be by the doorway, having never left it, and Sakura got out of her bed to see why he hadn't moved in so long. To him, he had witnessed the best-case scenario if he was to tell her those words in his heart. That was only the best; he didn't want to imagine the worst. Still, that one moment he had imagined had meant the world to him and he wished so much that it could have been real. But he had to face reality: it could never happen between him and her.

"What are you doing up?" he scolded her, trying to hide his reddening ears. He placed one hand firmly on her shoulder and steered her back to bed. "You should be resting right now and recovering your strength. You have a long journey ahead of you." She obediently slipped back into the bed and sat down, allowing him to pull the covers up to her waist.

"That's true… We still have that last ring to look for," she contemplated aloud. Xiao Lang froze for a moment. He had meant that she had to prepare for her trip back home, her real home. It was going to be harder than he expected to tell her. _Not that I want her to go,_ he thought, his hand gripping the bed sheet tightly.

He had to stop that. He had to stop thinking about things like that. This had to be erased from his mind. After all, Sakura was already promised to someone else. _Someone she is clearly in love with,_ he reminded himself, as he saw her bandaged hands resting on her lap. _She risked her own life to save his; that's how deep her love is for him._ He also knew full well that living as they had been the past few months was hard on a person, let alone a princess. Always running and hiding, never a real moment's rest; this wasn't the life she was destined to have. And yet, he was still selfish, the very way Yu Hong had described him once. He just wanted to keep her by his side.

They sat together in awkward silence. Sakura had gotten the feeling earlier that there was something on his mind and waited patiently for him to voice it. Xiao Lang didn't know how to say it. He could imagine Sakura's older brother in the other room, glaring at him for stalling so much. "How are you feeling now?" he began feebly, unsure of how else to begin.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," she reassured him. She made a face. "I guess niisama isn't so wrong when he says nothing can take me down."

There was a soft smile on Xiao Lang's face. For the first time in a while, Sakura wondered how long it was since she saw him smile like that. "That's good." He fell silent after that. "You know," he said finally, after a few moments, "the best thing for you to do now is to stay with your family and go back to the safest place for you. And really, that's just anywhere but this country." Once he had found his voice, the words came to him then.

"It really is the greatest thing that after all this time, your brother and fiancé aren't dead, even though you thought differently," he continued. "Now you have that second chance to be with them again, to live together as a family again." Sakura looked as if she wanted to say something but he didn't let her interrupt. "I… don't have that kind of second chance with my brother, Wing Kuen. He's definitely gone forever, no matter what I wish for." He bit his lip. "So… so don't leave them this time for a silly mission like mine. It's my mission anyway, not yours. Go back to Japan." Without looking at her, he got up abruptly and left the room, wanting to be out of there before his face betrayed his true feelings.

Sakura stared as he left, confused by his words and wondering if he really meant what he just said. She hadn't minded anything as long as she could stay by his side. But now that _he_ was saying the best thing for her to do was to return home… What could she do about it then?

- - - - - - - - - - -

Xiao Lang closed the door behind him and found himself confronted by Touya immediately, who stood by the door with his arms folded. Before the elder could say a word, the prince answered his question. "I already told her," he said brusquely. Touya nodded his curt approval, and though he didn't show it, he was pleased. And Yukito knew it, if not the reason why.

"What did you tell Sakura-san?" Yukito asked the Chinese prince slowly. He knew very well that something was amiss if Touya was happy over something Xiao Lang did. Xiao Lang said not a word in reply and instead stalked over to the other side of the room, not looking at either of them.

"Relax, Yuki," Touya said, "he only did the right thing, telling Sakura to stop going with him on his foolish quest." Yukito was troubled immediately, knowing full well how Sakura felt and how those very words would have affected her.

"Do you really think that's the right thing to do?" he demanded with unexpected anger, as he turned back to face Xiao Lang. Xiao Lang met his angry gaze head on. "I didn't leave you there with her to tell her that!"

The Chinese prince looked away before answering. "It's the only thing I _can_ do," he replied curtly. Without another word, and before they could see the pained look on his face, he picked up his travel bag and slipped outside.

Out there, he was mildly surprised to see Wing Kay had returned, waiting outside with a full pail of water beside her. She immediately took note of his grim expression. Although she did not know the full reasons for his frustration, Wing Kay was sure she knew who it was that was affecting him so. She hadn't seen him so angry with himself in a very long time. And yet, much as she cared for him, she had no idea how to help him as he had been more or less pushing her away lately.

Without warning and his bag slipping from his grip, Xiao Lang suddenly pulled Wing Kay into a firm embrace, hugging her to him. She didn't know what brought this on, but held him close to her in response. They stood together for what seemed like ages. As unexpectedly as he had hugged her, the prince pulled away. She knew why; he was seeking comfort and found it there, before realizing that this wasn't the comfort he longed for any more. She knew very well that he no longer felt the same way about her. Still, she would wait, wait for him to tell her himself. And that didn't make the pain any less for her.

And when Xiao Lang finally tells her the truth of his feelings, she would also make her confession. That was something she hated to have eating her up inside. But right now, she wasn't able to utter a word.

"We'd best be off now," he said suddenly. "There's no reason for us to continue delaying our departure, especially since Sakura will no longer be travelling with us." Wing Kay was startled by this piece of news.

"Is she all right?" she asked, concerned.

"She's fine," he replied briefly. "She just needs to go back to where she belongs." Picking up the bag with his left hand, he hadn't moved more than two steps when Wing Kay stopped him.

"Are you sure about this?" Wing Kay asked. He dropped the pack yet again and turned around abruptly.

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" he cried, his tone harsh and filled with annoyance. Wing Kay was surprised by his anger and could only give the one true answer.

"Maybe because we all think you're making a mistake."

To this statement he said not a word. Then, as if she hadn't said anything, he continued. "The mission is going to be a little more difficult now," he said quietly, dusting off his pack bent down to pick it up, "since we no longer have the star pendant." He paused for a moment. "That is, if there even is a "we". You know you don't need to continue doing this. You have your own life now; you should go live it normally."

"That doesn't matter," was Wing Kay's answer. "No matter how long it takes, I'll stay with you, and help you complete this mission." Xiao Lang couldn't help but feel comforted by her words, despite knowing that she wasn't who he loved. He knew he had to tell her that, especially after all the confusion he put her - and himself - through. But for now, he was going to do what he couldn't with Sakura and be selfish, to keep this girl with him, even if it was unfair to her…and him.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Upon checking up on Sakura, Touya and Yukito found her to be packing her scant belongings into her own small bag. Touya's eyes lit up, happy to see her so anxious to return home.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" he asked her gruffly, trying to mask the slight overexcitement he felt at that moment. Sakura glanced back at him and shook her head. She then paused and seemed to remember something. Slipping a thin object from her pocket, she walked to her older brother and placed it in his hand. Perplexed, he looked at it. It was a long gold chain. It was…

"Otousama's," she said briefly, a faraway look in her eyes. "He gave that to me with a pendant, but it… I… it broke… I just want you to take it back to him, as an apology and thanks."

Touya definitely didn't comprehend this at all. "Why can't you bring it back yourself, Sakura? After all, you're coming back with…" he trailed off and realized then why she couldn't meet his eyes. His eyes widened in surprise. He was a fool; he should have known better but hoped against hope that it wouldn't be true. She had no intention of returning to Japan. She was going to try to catch up with that Chinese brat, even if he had told her to stay behind, even if he had left without her.

She looked at him then, their gazes locked. She could be stubborn; so could he. He could see in her normally gentle green eyes that there was determination and greater strength than he remembered. Still, he would not let her stay.

He placed his hands on her shoulders, the chain still entwined around his fingers. "That brat's mission has nothing to do with you now; they even left without you," he told her meaningfully. "It's time you came home, to the place you belong." Sakura shook her head.

"It's not true, niisama," she said, "that his mission has nothing to do with me now. It's not just because of this pendant of mine. It's also my responsibility if he fails and I can't let that happen." She placed her hands on his and looked up at him imploringly yet the determination never wavered. "Please understand, niisama. As much as I love you, Yukito-san, everyone… I just can't go home now. However, I can promise you that I'll return some day." She moved his hands from her shoulders and hugged him tight. "Yukito-san has already fulfilled his promise and brought you back to me, to us. I'm grateful for that. But I'm really sorry, sorry for the childish way I acted two years ago, and sorry for making you break your promise of becoming our home's Emperor before I return." Touya had embraced her by now and was holding her close. "Because you need to go back, niisama. You're needed there the most." She smiled at him. "I'll definitely be all right; you needn't worry about me."

He couldn't return the smile, not without it looking forced or turned into a grimace. Instead, Touya reached out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind his sister's ear. "You've grown up so much in the past two years we were apart." There was a note of regret in his tone. He was reluctant to accept it, but he knew he was going to have to. Once Sakura made up her mind to do something, she stuck with it until the end, no matter what happens. This time was no exception, no matter what he wanted. He lightly laid his head on her shoulder. "Don't be gone for too long or we'll really come back to take you away no matter what."

"Niisama…" She in turn rested her head against his. Yukito let out a breath of relief; Touya had taken it better than he expected. But Touya loved Sakura, that he knew, and would never stop her from what anything she wanted to do. He had a sister complex after all, he recalled with amusement.

- - - - - - - - - - -

A lone "farmer woman" left the shelter she had stayed in and looked cautiously about her. The sun had set and night was fast approaching. The only people around were locals strolling about on their own business or on their way home. They paid her no attention and she continued to stay as inconspicuous as possible. However, the two people she was searching for were nowhere in sight. No matter; she would find them.

Once upon a time, Sakura used to always worry that people, even those she cared for, never kept their promises, including all those made to her. But she knew now that sometimes it worked both ways. Sometimes the one that was promised something had to do something to uphold it, if they didn't want it broken. And now she would not let Xiao Lang break his promise to her.

But first she had to find him. And she had no idea where they went.

A warm feeling washed over her, calming all of her anxiety. She wondered at the sudden light in the growing darkness and realized its source: her star pendant. Sakura promptly looked up, feeling a sense of déjà vu. If this was anything like that time in the so-called underground maze… A shiver went down her spine. For there, in front of her, was the same black clothed figure, still with a hood covering their face from her. Just like before…

She reached out to the figure, to see if it was Xiao Lang under the hood once again, but they backed away. Without another word, the figure turned and fled, and Sakura pursued him, through the maze of the streets in the town. She made sure not to stumble; she didn't want to lose sight of him. Unlike before, she sensed a greater urgency in this figure and she just knew that he wouldn't wait for her if she fell this time. When he finally stopped, she didn't until she was beside him, panting from the exertion of the chase, on the outskirts of Chengkou. Just ahead of her, she could make out two people moving ahead in the distance. Turning to the figure, she was in time to see a smile on the face peeping out from underneath the hood and then it vanished. The light in her pendant had also gone out. But the light in her face remained. She had found them…found him. And like before, her star had guided her. At that moment, her legs gave way and she fell to her knees.

"Xiao Lang…"

Xiao Lang shook his head. Was he hearing things? He thought he heard someone call him. He thought he heard…Sakura…calling him. Yet that was impossible. And still…

"Wing Kay, do you hear anything?" he asked his companion as they walked. Wing Kay raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing out of the ordinary," she responded. The Chinese prince nodded thoughtfully. What could it possibly mean?

Abruptly, without a second thought, he stopped walking and turned around. Not more than a few paces away was Sakura sitting on the ground, trying to catch her breath. The surprise at seeing her there was evident in his expression. Although, deep down, Xiao Lang felt like he had expected this, for no real reason. Surprise immediately turned to concern as he ran back toward her.

"What are you doing here, Sakura, when you're not even completely recovered?" he scolded her in a hushed voice, so as not to draw attention to themselves. He needn't have worried. There wasn't even anyone around. The Chinese prince knelt down on one knee and held his left hand out to help her up. The Japanese princess placed her bandaged hand on his arm and didn't budge from her spot. Instead, she smiled at him.

"I'm only here to remind you of your promise to never leave me behind," Sakura told him cheerfully, leaving out how he had also mentioned to always protect her. She didn't always want to be protected; now it was her turn to protect him. And with that thought in mind, she smiled at him. "I won't let you break that promise of yours, especially since I want to help you find the rest of those rings." Her cheerful expression darkened slightly and she looked away. "I also have a responsibility over those rings I gave to Chi Yuen," she continued. "It wouldn't be right for me to pretend it never happened, that it wasn't my fault. If your mission failed, it would be all my fault." She looked back up at him, her eyes resolute. "I… I will return home, I know I need to, but not until your rings have been returned to you and your mission has ended. So don't tell me to just go home like that."

Wing Kay had joined them at this point and stood beside them. She was well aware that the change in Xiao Lang's mood had been due to Sakura's absence, and didn't resent it. She bent down and ruffled the prince's hair, to his protest. "Come now, Xiao Lang," she remarked in a mock condescending tone. She was still three years his senior, after all. "Since when were you the type to not keep a promise? You especially can't break one you made to Sakura." Sakura smiled gratefully at her assistance.

Getting confused by everything going on, Xiao Lang turned back to Sakura, placed his left arm around her lithe form, and hugged her tight. He wanted to be sure that he wasn't dreaming, that the girl he loved really wanted to stay with him, even if only for his silly mission. He pulled back a bit, his hand lightly caressing her cheek. "I promise I won't ask you to leave us again but you may go whenever you're ready to or want to," he said quietly. "And I won't let any harm come to you again." _Because I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you,_ he added silently to himself.

Xiao Lang and Wing Kay helped Sakura back to her feet and Sakura and Wing Kay shared a hug. As the trio turned to continue down their path, two people stood in their way, waiting for them. It was Touya and Yukito, each with their masks atop their head. Xiao Lang's fist clenched. Had they returned to stop Sakura again? Even Sakura was dubious, wondering if her brother had changed his mind again. Neither of them had anything to worry about, however.

"So, brat," Touya called out, addressing only the prince, "are you ready to move on and finish your stupid mission?"

Said prince didn't flinch at his being called "brat" again and only nodded firmly. "Absolutely," he replied.

To everyone's surprise, including Yukito's, Touya reached out for Xiao Lang's right arm and grasped it gently. His eyebrows furrowed in deep concentration. A blue aura extended from himself and flowed into Xiao Lang's immobile arm. There was a sharp pain in that arm, but it quickly subsided. Touya suddenly let go, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. When he had let go, Xiao Lang's arm didn't fall back limply as usual; it still remained outstretched. He gingerly tried to move his right hand and could see his fingers twitch. He slowly moved the arm up and down, to everyone's wide-eyed amazement. There were no broken bones protruding as he moved. Although his right arm felt a little numb, it no longer hurt to move it. His own eyes also widened in disbelief. This man had completely healed his arm, even when they despised each other so. He looked back to Touya, who was being supported by Yukito.

"Since my little sister is in your care," Touya told the younger man coolly, "you better be able to take care of her with one hundred percent of your abilities." Xiao Lang let his arm back down and bowed with respect to Touya.

"That's what I intend to do," he said. Touya had a wry smile on his face. This was their way of calling it even.

Sakura ran up to her brother and hugged him hard. "Niisama," she cried, her head buried into his clothes, "I love you…thank you so much…" He laughed and pretended to push her away.

"The monster's got me," Touya said in mock fright. He then gathered her up in his arms and hugged her back. Yukito joined in on the hug, embracing both siblings.

"I'll miss you both so much," came Sakura's muffled voice. "I'll definitely take good care of myself so you'll never have to worry about me." She looked up at them both, the tears glistening in her eyes. "Thank you," she repeated, "for listening to my selfish wish." Touya didn't voice it, but he knew that this whole time, he had been the selfish one.

Some time later, both groups parted. The amount of reluctance on Touya's part still could not be fully explained, but he had to place his trust in his sister. His hand tightened around the necklace in his pocket. Both men had watched them leave and disappear into the distance, both with heavy hearts. Even after night fell and the stars came out, neither had moved from where they sat.

"Where did you learn healing magic, Toya?" Yukito asked, breaking the silence for the first time.

"I think I got it from you," Touya replied. "I must have taken some of your powers that time you used it to save me." He glanced over at his friend and found him looking at a ring in the palm of his hand, the one that Sakura had returned to him. Yukito caught his gaze and looked away with a foolish laugh.

"Now I have two rings again and I don't know what to do with them," he said, a false smile on his lips. Silently, Touya plucked the ring from his hand and slipped it on his left pinkie, the only finger it would actually fit on - though it was still rather tight - since it was made to fit Sakura. Yukito stared at him in surprise.

"I guess…until you find someone else you want to give this ring to, I'll hang onto this," he told him as he donned his mask once again. Yukito was speechless at first but his expression relaxed and he chuckled as he put on his own mask.

"And what will you do if I never find that person?" he asked him nonchalantly as they began to head toward their own destination, a completely different direction from the others. Touya didn't answer right away, seeming to be deep in thought. Then, underneath the mask, he permitted himself to smile.

"I'll just have to keep the ring forever then."

* * *

Author's Note: -is a puddle of goo on the floor- Whoever said Canada can't have hot weather is telling lies, lies! It's crazy hot right now…Sakura can't think too well when it's hot… -gets overheated very easily-

Errr…to be honest, I have no idea why it took so long to write this chapter. Okay, I have some ideas why. Probably because I've been making x number of costumes between the last time a new chapter was posted and now. That and I work two (at one time, three) jobs and still go to school and have exams/assignments/the like. And writer's block. Ohoho, can't forget that thing. And I even had the entire chapter planned out so well, too… :(

Anyway, I'm just curious: since I know all of you readers have read CCS (or else why would you be here? XP), who has or hasn't read Tsubasa -RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE-? (Clamp and their sticky caps…) What are your thoughts on that manga (and now anime:D) so far?

I've also been told over the past years of writing this fic of people having imagined what would happen next. Would anyone care to share their thoughts? Heh, don't worry, the next few chapters had all been planned out in fairly good detail for a long time now so it's definitely not like I'm stuck for ideas or anything. ;)

The TGS site is, of course, always welcome to anything submitted (though I really need to make a good update for it still). Your support has - as always - been greatly appreciated.

Author's Note to Final Fantasy Princess: Ahaha… that would be my fault. -sweatdrops- I'm trying to format my notes a little better on what's to come next so that I can write a little faster and with less problems/blocks. Only thing with my not writing often is that even I forget what has happened in the past chapters and have to go back for a reread myself. -sighs-

Author's Note to Cherrysinger: I would never give up on any of my fics (even if the last time I updated them was……) and will definitely see each of them to their own end. :) Sakura's just…a slow writer…who gets writer's block often… -laughs-

Author's Note to Little Wolf LOVER: ………good question. o-O I'm not even so sure myself… It's not that I'm trying to make it go on forever (or what I even want it to go for that long), it's just that…so much hasn't happened yet…that's going to happen…and… Well, at the moment, I have a clear idea more or less exactly what's going to happen in the next four chapters. I'm trying to write faster now so I won't forget those ideas, too. -sweatdrops- It won't end in those four chapters since one character will go through a particularly harsh experience after those chapters, but what that is and to who, I won't (can't) say now. :P Actually, I think I've already said too much. -whistles and runs off-

Author's Note to Yuki-Rabbit: Being the stickler to canon as I always am and probably having read the chapter before seeing this, I think you know what happened to Yukito by now. :) Too bad Syaoran's confession ended up being the way it is. I think I've gotten a little too used to the Tsubasa!Syaoran and am missing the CCS!Syaoran. The former is so much nicer and more thoughtful than the latter was when we first met him. No calling anyone baka in that series. :P

Author's Note to LilacBlu: Eh? But Sakura already knows the one person she loves (and has known for quite some time) and that isn't likely to change. :)

And thank you Kado shujin Sara, ManaChan, cherrixwolf, Gwen, sprout-angel, SakuraAyanami, Light in the Darkness, cherryblossom, sally, Auroratwin, Strained Blue, FlowerLover, 1Natsuyo1, Wolf Jade, rubygurl, FuyuSarah, PeachBlossom4416, Gekkou Hana, Onigiri Momoko, shadowy dreamer, LadyAkina, crystalshine, shaberry, and AfGhAnCuTiE x2 for your reviews!

Sakura  
-The Animé Archives


	24. The Last Ring

**The Guiding Star**

The Last Ring: Chapter Twenty-Four

By: Sakura Kinomoto

A lone figure, clothed in black stood steadily on a tree branch, watching a group of three progressing toward his location. Another person moved stealthily to his side, and followed his line of vision to see what he was observing.

"They're moving rather slowly aren't they?" his companion remarked, about to sit down beside him. "Probably because of that injured Prince."

"Don't get too comfortable," the first one said, pulling down a cloth mask to hide his features. "We need to go 'greet' our friends very soon." The other merely smiled and waited as the group drew closer.

- - - - - - - - - - -

The monitored trio _were_ moving rather slowly and this was due to slight fatigue from their seemingly aimless wandering. Monetary concerns, at least, were minimal because they had sold the dress Shui Ken made Sakura wear back when she was in Chengkou and there was enough money for the three of them to continue traveling for at least another month.

Since leaving Touya and Yukito, an unaccustomed quietness had come over Sakura. She had seemed cheerful enough when they first renewed their search, but this had worn down during the last few days, something Xiao Lang was quick to notice. But if he were to ask her, she would deny that anything was the matter. And really, Sakura's mind wasn't dwelling on the past but thinking of the future, thinking of what she could do to help Xiao Lang, to not hinder him on his mission any longer, and annoyed with herself when she couldn't come up with an answer. However, the Prince was unaware of that fact and, as he took a sidelong glance at her, wondered what he had to do to see her smile again. He needn't have worried. At that moment, their eyes met, and she smiled at him. His heart caught in his throat as he tried to return the smile, his hand balled into a fist.

He stopped for a split second when he felt a strange tightness in his chest. There was a faint burning sensation, both there and behind his eyes, that then vanished in a split second. At first he had assumed it was due to the bottled feelings he kept inside that his body remembered when he thought of Sakura. But when two black-clothed strangers jumped down from the trees above them and attacked, Xiao Lang hadn't the luxury of time to continue wondering what caused the pain and instantly forgot about it.

- - - - - - - - - - -

"Geez, Xiao Lang," Li Mei Ling grumbled, rubbing her back as she picked herself up, "I thought you knew that girls should be treated delicately." Her cousin had caught her by surprise when he used both hands to flip her over his shoulder and her mask had slipped when she hit the ground. Her brother, Li Di Xuan, had been caught equally off guard when Wing Kay's arrows pinned him to a tree. Not since the incident with Yukito has Wing Kay ever tried aiming directly at a person nor used the special potion, regardless of who they were. And because of what happened before meeting up with Sakura's brother and friend, they were far more attentive to their surroundings. The fifteenth Prince stood with arms folded as he regarded his cousins.

"There was no reason for either of you to be attacking us," he commented sharply, as Sakura pulled the arrows out of the tree, releasing Di Xuan. The sour expression on the prince's face vanished in an instant and was replaced with a softer smile. "But I am glad to see you two again, anyhow." He held out a hand to help his cousin up and she gingerly accepted it, sticking her tongue out at him. Xiao Lang nodded approvingly. "Very attractive."

Mei Ling still held on to the hand that helped her up, gingerly wiggling his right hand and arm. "It doesn't look broken anymore," she commented, as Wing Kay rejoined them. She clasped his hand with both of hers and looked up at her cousin. "You really had us worried."

"I'm fine now," he told her softly, glancing over at his other cousin. A slight frown developed when he noticed Di Xuan and Sakura sharing an amiable smile. He cleared his throat loudly, drawing their attention away from each other. "Just why are you both here, anyway?"

As Di Xuan and Sakura approached them. "We were sent by the council to warn you that someone you've met before, during your travels, is proving to be a traitor," the former explained.

A feeling of horror swept over the travelling trio. "A traitor?" Sakura echoed.

Di Xuan nodded. "Someone's been keeping tabs with that one called Chi Yuen and telling him where you are; he's been trailing you three for a long time now, doing a better job at it than Shui Ken."

Mentally, Xiao Lang went through a list of the people they've met with since they first left the Li council. Would Tai Sun have said something? No, he cared about Wing Kay too much. Sakura's brother would never reveal where they were, no matter how much he hated the Chinese prince. But could…

"I wonder if Yu Hong might know," Sakura murmured, thinking back to the last time they had met. Xiao Lang's head jerked up at the name mentioned and turned to her. She was still thinking aloud and hadn't noticed. "Maybe his mission now is finished."

Di Xuan and Mei Ling exchanged a glance. "Yu Hong never had a mission," Di Xuan began slowly. Sakura looked up at him in surprise.

"But…" Sakura's eyes were troubled. "He told me when he was leaving that he had to continue his mission for the Elders." Di Xuan shook his head.

"Whatever mission Yu Hong's on, it can't be for the Elders. We didn't know you met up with him at some point earlier either." His face was grim at this point as realization dawned on the group. "I hadn't understood what they meant at the time, but the Elders wanted you to be careful of him, too, since he's been running around on his own, against their orders."

"Yu Hong couldn't be a traitor," Wing Kay said, voicing her thoughts for the first time. "He's not the kind of person to sell his friends out to an enemy." The fifteenth prince didn't really feel like bringing up that he could hardly be considered Yu Hong's friend, but he was more distracted by the fact that when Wing Kay defended Yu Hong, he barely gave a thought about it while he was feeling that slight tinge of jealousy when Sakura did the same. Distracted as he was, he couldn't help but notice that he was also feeling a little warmer than usual and tugged vaguely at his collar.

"Regardless of what has happened, we have to be prepared," Sakura said with renewed determination. She was going to help Xiao Lang complete his mission, if it was the last thing she did. She turned to face the Chinese prince in time to see him stagger. Di Xuan helped pull him up before he toppled over.

"What's the matter with you?" Di Xuan asked, his brow furrowed in concern. His cousin's face was paler than he'd ever seen. Xiao Lang blinked in confusion, unaware that he had nearly fallen until he found himself looking at the dirt on the ground. He felt very strange, and rather light-headed. Dizziness was beginning to overwhelm him and he felt himself slipping, landing on both of his knees. Di Xuan placed a hand against his cousin's forehead and pulled it back almost instantly. "You're burning up!" he cried as everyone hurried over to see what was wrong. With both of his hands, he was holding Xiao Lang up; the latter's body suddenly went limp and the prince passed out in his cousin's arms. Di Xuan's eyes met Sakura's - her green eyes wide with fear - and then everyone else's. "What's happened to him?"

- - - - - - - - - - -

It seemed so sudden. One moment, Xiao Lang was just fine, carrying himself as usual. In no time, he was stricken with an illness none of them had ever seen before. He had still been unconscious when the group found an inn to spend the night. After placing him down on the bed and removing his outer robes, Di Xuan tried a few tests, and ended up ruling out poison as he could find no trace of it in his cousin's body. When he glanced over at the others, he found that his grim expression was mirrored on them as well.

A faint moan escaped from the Prince's lips and everyone crowded back around him. At the shadows surrounding him, Xiao Lang slowly opened his eyes and turned his head, the wet cloth placed on his forehead falling off. He blinked in confusion but couldn't make out any of the figures clearly in his feverish state. Were they friend or foe? He was surprised he felt too tired to care. His eyes closed again and he returned to a rather fitful sleep.

Di Xuan picked up the cloth and mopped his cousin's brow again before leaving it on his forehead. "Let's try letting him rest first," he told everyone, his brow still furrowed in concern. "Perhaps he'll be able to sleep off whatever is hurting him. If not, I've already sent a message to the Elders; they might have a response by morning." The others nodded wearily in response, not one happy about not being able to do anything to help their friend.

As each of them began to leave, Sakura suddenly stopped. They all turned to see what was wrong. Xiao Lang's hand was clinging tightly to Sakura's sleeve, stopping her from leaving. He had lifted his head from the pillow and was straining slightly to reach her. His vision was still swimming through half closed eyes and he didn't know who he was holding on to. "Don't go," he said hoarsely, his voice barely above a whisper. He fell back on the bed, but his grip never loosened. Sakura looked at him and then Wing Kay in confusion, absolutely convinced that he had reached for the wrong person but wasn't sure what to do about it.

"Wing Kay," Sakura began uncertainly. "I-"

Wing Kay dragged a chair over beside the bed and sat Sakura in it. "Take care of him for us," she told her firmly, squeezing her shoulders lightly for reassurance. Sakura nodded and the rest quietly made their way out.

"They both used to be so much closer. It's like they've regressed since the last time we saw them," Mei Ling muttered when the doors were closed. Di Xuan shushed her gently and Mei Ling clamped her hand over her mouth, remembering Wing Kay. But Wing Kay just shook her head and smiled.

"Xiao Lang needs someone like Sakura right now," she told them. She glanced at the room they just left before following the siblings to their room. _The most important thing is that he gets better,_ she thought, _not how it happens or who helped him._ But even she couldn't forget that the person the Prince chose unconsciously was not her.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Time just seemed to crawl by as Sakura stayed by the Prince's side. She was glad to be there; he was not sleeping well at all. Instead, he was fading in and out of consciousness, his head rolling left and right in his delirium. His forehead - and entire body for that matter - was still hot to the touch and she kept changing the cold cloth on his head, soaking it in a bowl of cold water and wringing it before replacing it. And then, for a few brief moments, he stopped moving and lay back, his breathing very heavy. Sakura readjusted the cloth again and got up to change the water in the bowl. She was stopped once more by a gentle tug on her sleeve. She turned around and her eyes met his.

"Saku…ra?" His voice was ragged, as he slowly blinked his eyelids in bewilderment. He recognized her this time. Sakura sat back down by his side. "Why…are you here?" he asked, struggling to get up. The Japanese Princess helped him move into a sitting position. The confusion vanished as his head cleared. "Ah, they left," he remembered, thinking about her brother and friend. He turned to look at her with more intensity in his gaze than ever before. "And you're still here with me."

Sakura's heart was pounding as she looked into his amber eyes. Xiao Lang slowly reached out to her with one hand then suddenly jerked back. Pain washed over him again. His eyes widened in shock and one hand pressed on the bed, to support himself, as the other clutched his chest. Unable to sit up any longer, he fell back again, panting heavily as he writhed in agony in one spot. Sakura, at loss of what to do, held his hand with both of her own, pressing it against her cheek, a way of showing him that he was not alone, that she was there for him. But Xiao Lang wrenched his hand away from her. "Don't worry about me," he told her in short gasping breaths, using what little of his strength left to push her away. Even the Prince had no idea what was wrong with him and if it was contagious…he didn't want to think what would happen to her. When she didn't move, he adopted a much harsher tone. "Just go away!" Sakura stared at him and seized his hand again, not letting go despite his feeble attempts to shake her off. A sigh escaped his lips as he gave up and squeezed her hand once instead, reassuring himself that she was still there.

How could she not worry? He was hurting so much and there was nothing she could do to alleviate it. She could only sit there and watch as his face contorted from the pain and he continued to twist and turn in place. Xiao Lang's hand was still very warm, the temperature almost as high as that of his own body. Sakura pressed the back of her hand to her own forehead. Her forehead felt relatively cool… Without giving it much thought, other than that her coolness might ease the excess heat in his body, she touched her forehead to his. It felt hotter than when she was mopping his brow and she almost pulled away. One lone thought kept her right there, however. _If I could just take his pain away, if some of it could be transferred to me so he wouldn't suffer so much._ Even though she knew that it wasn't really possible, she didn't move from her spot and partially cradled him in her arms.

A sudden change came over Xiao Lang as he stopped thrashing and began to breathe easier. He seemed to settle into a peaceful, and rather deep, sleep. With a sigh of relief, and not altogether certain the reason for the change, Sakura lay her own head down heavily in her arms, still by his bedside, succumbing to sleep herself. Her star pendant shone bright and neutralized every poison that had seeped into her body through the Prince before it could do her any more harm.

- - - - - - - - - - -

It was early in the morning when Prince Xiao Lang finally awoke. He clumsily grasped his shirt and noticed, after a moment's pause, that the pain in his chest had subsided. His head no longer felt hot, either. As he sat up and looked around, he found Sakura asleep, still sitting in the chair by his bedside, her head resting in her arms. A soft look crept over his features and he reached out with one hand and gently caressed her cheek. Right now, this was the only way he could express his feelings for her. And when it was just the two of them like that, in this quiet moment, it was the only time she could feel wholly his.

As he continued to gently stroke her hair, his thoughts flew back to the past. So much had happened since he had met Sakura up until this point. They had fled the palace, encountered so many people, and been constantly pursued by his half brother. Then the mission that was thrust upon him, nearly dying by the hand of his Master's former pupil, finding Wing Kay again… The past events played almost clearly in his mind. Except for yesterday. That was still a complete blur to him. He remembered seeing his cousins again and vaguely something about a traitor and his angry thoughts toward Yu Hong, but that was it. He remembered the pain and heat that coursed throughout his body and losing consciousness. His ears burned then when he remembered how he clung to Sakura the night before.

He lifted his eyes to look past the sleeping Princess and they rested briefly on his dragon sword. There was still a long way to go in completing his goal, what with taking back the rings Chi Yuen stole and finding the remaining one. He didn't know what had to be done after all five had been gathered but the Elders had told him that he'd realize it at that point. And for however long his mission took, Sakura would stay with him. It was the promise she made to him a short while earlier. There was a thought he kept down for a long time, but he couldn't help but revisit it. Would it be so wrong of him to prolong finishing his mission so that he could keep her by his side as long as possible? Could Xiao Lang be so utterly selfish just this once?

He shut his eyes and hugged his legs to his chest. He just couldn't. It wasn't because Yu Hong had once goaded him about using the girl for his own purposes. It wasn't even about doing what was right. He just couldn't make himself be responsible for ruining the happiness of the person he loved. He knew that she mostly stayed behind to help him because she felt guilty for losing those rings, even when she wasn't entirely at fault. And, his face darkened when he remembered, she had to return home, to her family, her friends…and the one she was betrothed to.

The Chinese Prince was startled out of his reverie when the Japanese Princess began to stir and the former assumed a poker face. Sakura rubbed her eyes sleepily for a moment, trying to find her bearings when she met Xiao Lang's gaze. She stood up in surprise and nearly fell over, catching her balance by placing both hands on the bed to steady herself. Her face flushed, she looked back up at him with a smile. "You're all right." It was more of a statement than a question.

Xiao Lang reached out and took her hand in his. "I am now," he said. His voice was caught in his throat. "And-"

They were interrupted by a sharp knock on the door. They both froze when the door opened but relaxed when Mei Ling peeped her head inside the door. Both jumped apart guiltily, their faces reddening. "Xiao Lang!" she exclaimed in a hush whisper. "You're looking much better!" Mei Ling and the other two with her slipped quietly into the room, the door shut gently behind them. Di Xuan made a few check ups on his cousin and couldn't find anything else to be the matter with him.

"I don't know what happened to you yesterday," Di Xuan said, shaking his head, "but I think we have to thank Sakura for your recovery." Sakura protested, saying she didn't especially do anything, but everyone else agreed with him, nonetheless. "If you're ready to go," Di Xuan said finally, "I know the location of the last ring, but it will take us a few days to get there." All eyes turned to him in surprise. "The Elders told me when I was there, that the fifth ring's location was never a mystery, but it could never be sealed when the other four were free. It's near Shibaozhai." Di Xuan looked pointedly at Xiao Lang, knowing the significance of this place. It was the site where his Master had been murdered.

The remark seemed to have no impact, as the Prince's expression conveyed no change. He merely nodded, his eyes alight with renewed determination. Leaving him alone momentarily so that he may change, Sakura looked back at him for a moment and met his gaze again. Both blushed and looked away, Sakura hurrying off to join the Li cousins. However, before Wing Kay was gone, Xiao Lang stopped her from leaving. She joined him by his bedside. "There's something I need to tell you. No number of apologies will ever tell you how sorry I really am. I-"

Wing Kay interrupted him by lifting his chin and placing a light kiss on his lips. "I can't say 'goodbye' to you just yet," she told him in a soft tone, "but just let me continue to support you in my own way." He stared at her for a moment then acquiesced with a slight nod. She took her leave then, closing the doors behind her. A lone tear made its way down her cheek. She knew that day had come, when he was going to let her go. And yet, she didn't want to go, at least not now. In his room, with his sword in one hand and the rings in the other, Xiao Lang's thoughts drifted back to the one person he never wanted to part with.

- - - - - - - - - - -

The Shibaozhai sat majestically on a high cliff and one could ascend and descend it through the inside of the pagoda that clung to the face of the cliff. Sakura took a step forward to look over the edge and reeled back from its sheer height. When Mei Ling waved her back to join the rest at the mouth of the cave, she needed no second bidding.

It had been raining for the past few days as they travelled south toward Shibaozhai and the entire area was blanketed in fog. For the first time since the mission began, they had an exact destination in mind and strove toward it. For the duration of the trip, everyone had been alert since, after all, they had two of the rings and Chi Yuen had two. They knew he would show up sooner than later to claim the two that he didn't have. In ways, they wanted that to happen, so they could attempt to retrieve the ones he stole. Di Xuan and Xiao Lang peeked warily into the dark cave. The fog made it hard to see normally, but the cave was so dark that it made little difference. They motioned the others to follow them as they went in. Sakura shuddered involuntarily, remembering the time they had found the wind ring. Even though she had turned out to be a friendly elemental spirit, there was no guarantee this last ring would be anything like her. If anything, every spirit except for the wind one had been brutal in their attacks against them, as they didn't want to be sealed again.

As they walked, they noticed that the path seemed to keep descending into the mountain. They also would have been walking in total darkness had Di Xuan not used his incantation paper to create a small flame as their guide. With the twigs and small branches that they had gathered earlier, the girls marked their way back by stabbing them gently into the wall every few steps. After a little while, they found the tunnel ended and they were in a wide, open area. Di Xuan took out a few flame incantation papers and threw them in various directions, first to give them an idea of how large that area was, second so that they could see in that pitch-black room, and third to see if there were any more tunnels leading away from it. There was only one such tunnel at the far end of the 'room'. "With such a big place, where could the spirit be hiding?" Mei Ling wondered aloud. As if to the answer her question, there was a faint tremor and the ground rumbled lightly beneath them.

They all barely had time to react before a giant snake-like creature made of rock and soil flung itself at them and they would have been smashed into the wall if they hadn't jumped away. Sakura's pendant glowed green, but no one needed to see it to know they were against the Earth spirit. Remembering how it was when they were fighting with Water and the rest, Xiao Lang drew his dragon sword and held it defensively, using himself as a shield between it and his friends. The snake recoiled and drew back for an instant; however, it was attacking them again, this time splitting up into smaller forms and from different directions.

Everyone was doing all they could to keep from getting hurt by these strange creatures. Di Xuan's sword might not have had the same effect to repel the spirit as Xiao Lang's did, but combined with his incantation papers, he was able to fend them off himself and Mei Ling when she wasn't able to use her physical attacks to break them. Since these creatures were made smaller, their core was more brittle and a few well placed punches and kicks broke them apart and they landed in a pile before her feet. Wing Kay did not possess the same physical prowess as either of the Li siblings, but her arrows, dipped in her potion, were able to pierce through the rock armour of the snake-like creatures when fired in rapid succession and the same spot and they flailed in the spot before crashing to the ground. The Japanese Princess was not able to attack as the others did, but she defended herself decently enough, in the manner that Xiao Lang had once taught her. Having nothing other than her pendant, still shining brightly on her necklace, she used the sheaths to both Xiao Lang and Di Xuan's swords to block the varying attacks from the Earth spirit. The Chinese Prince, knowing he had an object that the elemental spirits wavered against, opted to go after the largest 'snake' left, attacking it rather aggressively and defending in the same manner.

As she blocked stab after hit, Sakura's eyes, well adjusted now to the dim lighting, searched the room for the ring. She knew that it had to have been released somewhere or it wouldn't be attacking them as it was. It was attacking them because it was aware its core stolen and was frantic to find it again. Someone shot past her and the ground and walls seemed to be alive, shaking tremendously. Without thinking, Xiao Lang sheathed his sword, picked up Sakura, and leapt in the same direction as the other person. A small avalanche of rocks cascaded down on the area they were just in and he crouched down and used himself to shield Sakura. When the rocks stopped falling and the dust seemed to clear, both looked around. The room they had just been in was cut in half, with the two of them on one side (third if the one that dashed forward was counted) and everyone else on the other. Di Xuan's incantation papers, which had been attached to the wall on this side, still burned on in the background. Their faces were grim as they faced the wall of rocks, searching to see if there was a possibly way back to their friends. The ground beneath their feet began to rumble again and they ran out the only exit they could see. Di Xuan, Mei Ling, and Wing Kay were on the opposite side when the ground was shaking and more rocks began to follow and hurried back through the tunnel they had entered from. When they had made it back outside, they watched in horror as the mouth of the tunnel caved in behind them. They were unable to go back in. And Xiao Lang and Sakura were thus trapped underneath.

When the Prince and Princess had cleared the door, the earth spirit had forced the rocks by the doorway shut, blocking their way back completely. The spirit was by no means finished with them either. Now that there was only two left, it merged all its pieces together once before splitting into two and going after each of them. Xiao Lang could no longer attack and took a defensive position. As for Sakura, with one sharp thrust, the snake-like creature broke Di Xuan's sheath and lunged toward her. Without time for anything else, she brought her arms up to cover her head and chest and braced for the impact. She felt none when she was immediately plucked from danger.

Turning to quickly thank the Prince, Sakura's eyes widened and she pushed him away. It was not Xiao Lang at all. He was still trying to fend off the attacking spirit on the side opposite from her. Grabbing her wrists to not let her escape, Chi Yuen smiled down at her. "You're not pleased to see me? That really makes me sad," he said in mock hurt. It was he who had run by them earlier.

"Sakura!" Xiao Lang cried, trying to get back to her side. He dodged another attack by the earth spirit and ended up somersaulting in the other direction. "Get away from her!" he shouted at the older man. When he attempted to return again, a small rain of soil and dust fell on him and the earth spirit coiled up around him, trapping him there. In frustration, he tried to stab through with his sword, but the spirit just pulled away from the tip each time.

Chi Yuen clucked his tongue and shook his head. "Always the anxious one, that bratty prince," he muttered, annoyance obvious in his tone. His attention turned back to Sakura. Since he wasn't letting her loose, she was trying to kick him, to force him to let her go, but he moved to evade her. He then released his hold on her wrists and before she could move, he pressed against her neck with one hand and pinned her to the wall behind her. Sakura used both hands to try to loosen his grip on her throat. "Stop struggling," he told her patiently. "I only want you to do one thing." He held up the earth ring before her with his other hand. "Seal it." He glanced over at Xiao Lang once before staring coldly into her eyes again. "Or else the spirit _will_ kill him."

A choice like that was something Sakura never wanted to have. Now she had to choose between a promise she made to herself that she'd never allow Chi Yuen to get his hands on another ring or seal the ring to save Xiao Lang's life. It wasn't a decision she had to really think about - Xiao Lang's life was far more precious to her than his mission ever was - but it was still difficult to do. Sakura pulled her pendant from under her shirt and locked the ring with it. The constant rumbling ceased and any other movement caused by the earth spirit stopped. However, everything had stopped as it just was so the ground was no longer level and the Prince was still wrapped in the coils made of soil and bits of rock.

As he had done before, Chi Yuen admired the sheen of the green sealed ring as it landed in his palm. He released Sakura from his grip and she fell to her knees, coughing and gasping for air. He smiled down condescendingly at her and patted her on the head, as one did with a child. "You really are one useful little girl. Unlike that silly brat over there." Normally, Xiao Lang would have bristled at such a comment. Now there was no time for such trivialities. Instead, he struggled to free himself. He refused to allow the person he loved be hurt before his eyes. However, the earth held fast to him, not letting go, even without the elemental spirit causing havoc. Chi Yuen kept Sakura's attention away from her companion as he bent down and, with his hand firmly grasping her chin, forced her to look up at him.

"You may as well take one last look at your Prince," he told her in a low whisper. "The earth holds tight and he'll never be able to get out of here with his life. And, once that doorway is gone, he's trapped in here for good." He pulled away for a moment to smirk at the glowering Xiao Lang. Looking back down at Sakura, he added, "But if you'll just give me the last two rings, I'll make sure you both get out of here alive. After all, I've always tried to take good care of you."

Sakura pursed her lips and glared resentfully at him. She had not forgotten how badly he had used her before. "Did you honestly think we would accept such a request?" Chi Yuen laughed.

"Not at all. I just wanted to see your reaction."

"Then I'm sorry to disappoint you," she replied tartly. "I believe in him and I don't think something like this could ever truly stop him."

Chi Yuen frowned slightly at her response. It was definitely not fun for him if she could speak so confidently about the Prince brat. Instead… With an added flourish, he produced the rings he now owned. "These were what you wanted, right?" he asked her pleasantly, using them as means of a distraction. Two of the rings were strung on a chain around his neck and they lightly clinked together when moved while the newly sealed one was still in his hand. Sakura made a grab at them, but he smoothly moved out of her reach. "If you want them, try to get them back with your own power." With a turn, he was gone, leaving through the only visible exit. The moment he left, however, the walls began to shudder and move. Sakura turned to chase after him, not hearing Xiao Lang's cries for her to stop. Just outside of the moving walls, she hesitated for a moment and turned to face him.

"Xiao Lang," she called back, her voice coming across clearly to him, over the sound of tumbling rocks. He continued to strain in the dim light to free himself and to reach her side. "I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused these past few months. I'll definitely fix all of it, no matter the cost. I did mean what I said, that I believe in you. This time around, I also need to believe in myself. And," she paused for a moment and coughed, the dust starting to get into her eyes and throat, and Xiao Lang's heart beat expectantly. "There's something I have to tell you. The only one I love now is-" Total darkness suddenly engulfed her and the sharp movements of the earth had wiped out any remaining lit incantation papers on the Prince's side. Sakura's arms had shielded her face from the remaining settling debris. She then used her hands and felt the smoothness of the wall before her. She was sure he'd find his way out or she would definitely find that way back to him. But for now, she was going to go forward to get back what she had lost thrice. And she wouldn't lose again. She turned around and hurried forward, to wherever the other man had gone.

Back inside, the Chinese Prince never heard her last word and cursed himself for his relative helplessness. His grip on his sword tightened and he pulled out the two rings he had in his possession. They glowed faintly in his hand, a tiny illumination in the darkness. His hand clenched the rings tightly. He would definitely show Chi Yuen that the faith Sakura had in him wasn't made up. Even if, at the moment, he had no clue how he could possibly escape from his dark prison. He put his sword and the rings down in front of him for a second and smacked both cheeks with his hands. There was no time to lose. He trusted Sakura and, on her own, he wasn't overly worried about her. Chi Yuen was just something else entirely, and he could never trust him, especially when it came to his way of "taking care" of the Japanese Princess.

His heart beat queerly for a moment, thinking back to what she was trying to say. It wasn't that he was being egotistical or that this was just what he wanted to happen; Xiao Lang just felt certain, deep in his heart, that Sakura was going to finish with the word "you".

* * *

Author's Note: Remember (probably not) how I had 2-3 jobs at one point? Now I have four. -3- Well, to be more specific, 4.5. We're not getting into that. Yes, yes, Sakura's crazy. And then there's still school. You've probably all heard this before, but this past year was truly the school year from hell. Highlights included deaths (people and my own computer), workload of doom, and exams that contained stuff we never even learned. But, I know, I know, this is still no excuse.

I've never really stopped working on this. More like, I work on it in the few snatches of time I have. However, I never expected to have so little time that it would take more than a year to write a chapter (I was actually aiming to have it completed before it hit a year, but work deadlines popped up so that didn't work out). Also, having not written in so long, I've completely lost my bearings and every time I tried to write, I wasn't sure what I was writing, even if pretty much everything had been planned in advance. :( No promises, but I definitely don't want that repeated. I'll write as much as I can for the rest of this summer, to reach those events that I've been dying to write about since I started writing this series.

re: Tsubasa, I've read all of it (up to the latest chapter) and own all the current volumes…in both hardcover and the normal version… I don't even know why I own both. -sweatdrops- I prefer manga!CCS art to manga!Tsubasa art although the style now isn't all that bad either.

Author's Note to FlowerLover: Well, Sakura was promised to someone at one point, but that already ended back in chapter 22. :) It's more like S+S both love each other, except neither realizes the feelings of the other.

Author's Note to 1Natsuyo1: Wouldn't you be more or less used to the weather, since it's generally constant? I love having four seasons, but I really miss last year's mild summer when the temperature rarely went above 30 degrees Celsius. This year's is mostly above that. :( re: Tsubasa manga, I still keep up with it, even though there are the odd worlds that I don't care about. I haven't watched the anime nor have I ever had the incentive to. I never liked the chara designs they had/used and most of the seiyuu…some are fine, but others…I guess in ways they're competing with the older seiyuu cast for CCS. Funny how the female seiyuu for CCS!Syaoran is more suitable than the male seiyuu for Tsubasa!Syaoran. :P

Author's Note to Serenity's Blaim: Eh? I'm not looking for anything in particular. It's more just like, ever since Tsubasa came out, the more I can identify this fic with random Tsubasa dimensional worlds since it doesn't exactly take place in the past of the CCS world, but is just an alternate universe on its own. :)

Author's Note to moezy-chan: I prefer Syaoran, as well (and usually keep referring to him as Syaoran in my notes XP), though for this particular setting, Xiao Lang just seemed more appropriate (and before anyone asks, calling Sakura "Ying Fa" is not appropriate at all; I mean, you call people by their given name, no matter what language you speak in. You don't translate a person's name to your language and address them as thus. I never understood why so many fanfic authors did that. Japanese is sort of the exception to the rule, except they only "reword" the name so they can pronounce it, like Xiao Lang to Syaoran/Shaoran). But, ah…I went way off topic, didn't I? -sweatdrops- I do sincerely hope you enjoy the rest of this fic. :)

Author's Note to chibiNeko192: Sakura gave Touya the necklace/chain that the star pendant was on when Fujitaka gave it to her. As for the pendant, it is now on the necklace Syaoran gave her. As for conventions, I usually try to attend the "big" ones in Southern Ontario when I can get out of work and am usually cosplaying whenever I can. :)

And thank you Broadway Belle, cherrixwolf, Light in the Darkness, SakuraAyanami, dbzgtfan2004, Kado shujin Sara, Cherrysinger, Rukiina, AfGhAnCuTiE, Articuno, cherriblossomxz, faeyth, sweet-strawberry692010, Chibi Setsuna, MelMel0492, rubygurl, sheepgomeep, summershine, Kitty-chan x5, purple11, Ephemeral Stardreams x3, littlecherries, AirStriker, and kianvelez for your reviews!

Sakura  
-The Animé Archives


	25. Mutual Bonds

**The Guiding Star**

Mutual Bonds: Chapter Twenty-Five

By: Sakura Kinomoto

For the first time in a long while, Sakura's heart felt a little lighter. Her cheeks turned crimson as she ran forward, remembering that she had actually confessed to him, despite promising herself that she never would. Even if Xiao Lang hadn't heard her, she _did_ feel better just saying it. _If he_ didn't _hear me, I wonder if I'd be able to say it again_, she wondered to herself. As she thought of his steadfast amber eyes, her heart beat a little faster.

Upon reaching an area wider than the narrow tunnel she was in, she stopped short. Although it was still fairly dark outside due to the rain and fogginess, it was the first time she had seen natural light since they entered the cave to look for the earth ring. The light seeped in through an exit on the far side of the room. The area she was in now wasn't particularly large, but it was bigger than the last place they were in. Chi Yuen was sitting on a rock in the middle of that space, his head resting on one hand, his eyes - facing outside - looking at nothing. At Sakura's entrance, he turned to face her, dusting himself off as he stood up.

"You sure took your sweet time getting here. Did you finish your goodbyes with the Prince?" he asked patronizingly. Sakura scowled at him, her pretty face marred with distaste for him. She lifted her chin slightly and did not back away from his gaze.

"Don't worry about him," she said clearly, "he'll definitely be here."

Chi Yuen laughed at her again.

"Yes, yes," he chuckled, "you have _so_ much faith in him. However, I'm more worried about you than him." Sakura was motionless, not understanding where he was going with that. He took a step toward her. "Do you honestly believe," another step, "that you have any chance," and another, "of getting those rings from me?" He stopped a few short paces before her. "I'm a nice guy, so I can give you one chance." Sakura stared at him, still not moving. "I'll go easy on you; you'll have one chance to take those silly things from me. Give it a try!" he flung his arms open wide, taunting her to do anything. "But should you fail," his eyes hardened, "I _won't_ go easy on you."

As much as he motioned for her to attack him, Sakura couldn't take single step. What on earth could she do anyway? As a child, a princess, she was never taught how to fight, as it was never considered necessary for her to learn. Recently, she'd been practicing defence, so as not to trouble others as much when they were attacked. While she hesitated, Chi Yuen stood with his arms folded, his foot tapping impatiently. She was obviously not like the brat Prince, was the one thought in his mind. She didn't react to his taunts as quickly as the other. He smoothed his hair back with a little huff and turned to her. "Time's up," he said coldly.

For one so weak, he mused, magic wasn't necessary. If anything, he would just take his time, amuse himself for a little while longer before moving on. Toys were fun, even if they were clawless and naïve.

Chi Yuen disappeared before her and Sakura took a step back in surprise. She suddenly lurched forward from a sharp impact on her back and stumbled a few feet before using the wall as support. As she turned around, she only saw the older man for a brief second before he vanished again. He moved far too fast for her eyes to follow. Instinctively, her arms flew up to protect her face and she semi-blocked his kick, only for her to end up pushed into the wall behind her. She sank to the ground, dazed from the impact. She blinked once and saw his fist aimed at her and reeled back, her eyes shut tight, knowing she wouldn't be able to avoid it. When she didn't feel anything, Sakura opened her eyes and found herself looking at his fist. He had purposely stopped an inch before he hit her. Their eyes met and she could see the amusement plain in his expression.

She felt angry and humiliated, but she didn't know what else she could do. He was only toying with her, treating her as his own personal punching bag. She despised her lack of power, her inability to defend even herself. If she was unable to protect herself, how could she possibly protect those she cared for?

"Where's your prince now?" Chi Yuen sneered, crouched down before her, now at her eye level. Sakura's mouth was set stubbornly and she refused to answer him. Deep down, she felt a twinge of fear for Xiao Lang, fear that he would be trapped in there forever, but she squelched it. Her faith in him was strong and had no room for any doubt. Chi Yuen laughed then, as if he knew what she was thinking about.

"You really are silly, believing in your phrase that 'everything will be all right'. Even after the last time he ditched you," referring to when Xiao Lang had left Sakura in the innkeeper's care a few weeks ago, "you still don't know when to give up." He patted her on the head, in the same condescending manner as before. "Poor little girl. You can only keep believing in that idiot because you have yet to taste the bitterness of true betrayal. And when that happens, you'll realize what a fool you've been all this time." He moved in closer, until his face was inches apart from hers. One hand was on her chin, forcing her to look at him. The other seized her wrist. "Why don't you join me? I can train you and help you discard your weak self. You don't need someone stupid enough to get trapped by a mere spirit." Sakura tried to pull herself free, but he held tight.

No matter what she decided, Chi Yuen knew he had the upper hand in this situation. If she agreed, he would have someone he could mold and use however he pleased. He knew that she couldn't have fully realized the untapped power within her yet. And if that power was his to control… Or if she rejected his offer, he would finish her now, once and for all, before that potential could surface and become a threat to him later on. To him, she was nothing more than raw material that could be used.

"No."

His smile wavered for a moment. Perhaps he had heard wrong. Chi Yuen's grip tightened on her wrist and she winced slightly. "What did you say?" he asked, his voice low.

"I have to get stronger on my own, with my own power," she said firmly. "And even if I needed help, I would never get it from you."

"I see." He let go of her and drew back, standing at his full height and looking down at her. "Then the feeling's mutual: I don't need you either." With his palm facing up, a small ball of lightning formed in his hand. He shot it at her and she hurried to move out of its path. He continued a volley of shots, faster each time, and she barely had enough time to get away, the stray lightning licking at her heels. In her haste, Sakura tripped over a few small boulders and stumbled into the wall before falling. She looked up to see Chi Yuen looming over her, the lightning ball illuminating the sour expression on his face.

"I guess this will be goodbye for now. It was," he paused to search for the right word, "fun. For a short while, anyway." Sakura's eyes closed for a moment and she thought of Xiao Lang, her hand clenched tightly over her key. She wanted to see him again so much. There was no way she could die here, without fulfilling her promise to him. And she wanted to tell him, over and over, how she felt about him now that she had the courage to.

Chi Yuen released the lightning orb and the room was rocked by a small explosion.

- - - - - - - - - - -

It was a long time before the dust and debris settled and Chi Yuen waved the particles away from his face. He was going to be bored for a long while now that his only toys were gone. To overcome the boredom, he contemplated seeking out the only competent Li magician he had seen in a long while, Li Yu Hong. It would kill a little time for him. He began to leave when he sensed something and quickly turned around. The Japanese princess was still there and very much alive. She was curled up in a crouched position, her arms shielding her head and body, but around her was a faint pink bubble, a force field that completely protected her from his attack. The ends of his mouth curved up to a smile. He would be able to have a bit more fun after all. Some of that potential had actually surfaced.

Sakura lifted her head and saw Chi Yuen watching her through the bubble. When it vanished, the older man smiled for a moment then disappeared from sight, not unlike before. She leapt to her feet and moved toward the room's exit and stopped short as he stood before her. He reached out to grab her but his hand seemed to hit something solid and he pulled back in surprise. His fingertips were slightly singed. The protective orb around her, that he thought had disappeared, had returned, sheltering her from him once more. Since he couldn't seem to use a physical attack, he made small little fireballs and shot them at her. The princess didn't dodge them at all; they extinguished the moment they touched the bubble. She stood up instead, her hand still clutching her star key.

They both watched each other, waiting to see what the other would do. It became apparent to Chi Yuen that if he could get rid of whatever it was that was protecting her, she would be left open to his attacks. The question was how would he do it? He unsheathed the sword on his back, his hand gripping just below the phoenix carved into the hilt. Sakura's expression conveyed no change and he was beginning to get annoyed.

If Sakura's face remained neutral the entire time, it was because she wasn't completely aware of what was going on. Since her determination was set that she had to protect herself for the sake of protecting Xiao Lang, she was driven to using her innate powers. That power she used to protect herself came from the ring, but could only have been triggered by her magic. As that power had taken over her mind, feeding from her life force, her eyes stared out blankly, every movement an unconscious one.

With a quick sprint, Chi Yuen leapt up and brought his sword down upon her translucent shell. His eyes widened as the magic surrounding her grew and he was instantly repelled, smashing into the wall behind him. As he moved to get up again, he felt another sharp gust of wind, burrowing him further into the rock face. A trickle of blood from a cut on his cheek trailed its way down his neck. When the dust was beginning to settle, he realized there were two people before him. One of them held a sword like none Chi Yuen had ever seen before. The blade was near invisible. The hilt, however remained the same, a dragon carved into its end. It was the cheeky brat Prince, who stood glaring at him, and it was he who sent the second attack.

Forgetting Chi Yuen for a moment, Xiao Lang turned to face Sakura and placed a tentative hand on the bubble around her. His hand slipped right through the barrier and he found himself completely swallowed up. With his hands on her shoulders, he shook the Japanese Princess lightly. "Sakura," he whispered, gazing into her blank eyes. "Wake up. Please." She turned to look at him and her eyes cleared. She stared at him in confusion.

"Xiao Lang…" she started, reaching up with one hand to touch his dirt-smudged cheeks. "I…" The light in her pendant vanished and she stumbled, her barrier also disappearing. The Prince caught her as she fell, crouched down, and cradled her in his arms. Sakura tried with difficulty to move but her entire body felt as if it was made of lead. With some effort, she smiled at him. "I knew you'd be able to find your way out."

He returned the smile with equal affection, relieved that she was still all right. "Yes…" he said and kissed her lightly on the forehead. Her expression immediately became troubled.

"But why…are you here right now?" She tried to pull away but didn't have the strength. "Why-"

"Because," he interrupted, "there's no way I'm going to let the one I love throw her life away for something like this, or for anything. I won't let you die." His ears were red as he said this, gazing earnestly into her eyes. "So don't ever say you'll do something, no matter what the cost is," he whispered hoarsely. "I refuse to lose you and any more of my time with you." It took a moment for his words to register and Sakura turned crimson. Didn't that mean that their love was mutual? To hide his embarrassment, he quickly pulled her into a hug and held her tight. The emotion from the feeling that she was his at last overwhelmed him and his hands were shaking just slightly. Sakura's hands gripped the back of his shirt, hiding her face in his arms, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

They broke apart, remembering where they were and what was going on. Turning around, they found themselves facing a damaged cave wall. Chi Yuen was nowhere in sight. He had recovered enough to pull himself out and run off. And since the only exit was through the opening in the wall, there was no doubt where he had gone. Xiao Lang bade Sakura stay there and rest a moment as her energy was near depletion. With his sword in hand, he was gone before she could protest, rushing out to find the older man. A rumble of thunder sounded ominously in the distance and she cursed her relative helplessness at that moment. Xiao Lang stopped short just after stepping outside for the ledge ended abruptly, a mere eight feet from the cave entrance. Looking up, the very top of the mountain, where they were earlier, was barely visible in the distance. It was no wonder no one knew of this entrance at all. It was doubtful anyone would even think of clambering down this steep, almost vertical inclination.

The Prince suddenly leapt back, just as a sword sliced through the front of his shirt, nearly scratching his skin. Chi Yuen had been waiting for him there. The latter slashed down upon him again but Xiao Lang used his own sword to block it. As the blades clashed, the image of Xiao Lang's sword wavered into focus for a few seconds before turning translucent again. Chi Yuen drew back in surprise. Xiao Lang struck down at the other man this time and even though Chi Yuen moved away before being hit, he felt something dripping down his neck. Placing his hand on his neck and looking down, he saw the blood on his fingertips. He was cut somehow, even though he never saw or felt the impact. How?

Looking up coolly at his opponent, he took in the situation with one glance. This was definitely the sword that Xiao Lang had been given by the elders. He could see the dragon plainly enough. But the blade had changed and was almost invisible. His eyes flickered back to the hilt for a moment. A white ring was fitted into the handle. The wind ring. Chi Yuen understood at once. Somehow, the ring, combined with Xiao Lang's dragon sword, created a different sword that used its powers. This was something he had never considered trying before. Chi Yuen undid the slim chain he wore around his neck and pulled out the first ring there: the wood ring. Xiao Lang's eyes widened and, knowing what the rings did for his sword, moved to stop him but the latter smoothly dodged him. He slid the ring over the hilt of his sword and waited for it to take effect. In his haste, he did not notice that the ring did not fit properly.

His carelessness was his biggest mistake. Both sword and ring glowed and shook violently, with the former completely rejecting the tiny object. Chi Yuen suddenly released his sword from his grasp as it burned his fingers and the palm of his hand, the wood ring rolling away. He clutched his burnt hand with the other, dousing it with a water spell as it felt like it was still on fire. The ring rolled towards the edge of the cliff and Xiao Lang grabbed the small object before it was lost again, pocketing it right away. His eyes widened for a moment and he quickly rolled aside, Chi Yuen's sword stabbing the place he had just recently occupied. The Prince glanced back up at the sword's owner and felt a grudging admiration for him that he would never admit aloud. Although the breeze had long since carried it away, the scent of burning flesh had reached Xiao Lang's nose and he knew Chi Yuen's injury was real. Despite his hand being burnt, he already had his sword back in hand, never wasting a moment because of pain.

As both of them clashed swords once again, the younger of the two was well aware that he still wasn't at the other's skill level. Nonetheless, all distractions, all tricks, were gone and he was determined not to lose this time.

Chi Yuen did find he had a harder time pushing the Prince back this time and he couldn't decide if he was pleased or vaguely annoyed at the latter's improvement. His hand still pained him a great deal but he hid a smile from his opponent. This pain was nothing after all. When the spell he had planted in Xiao Lang the last time finally takes effect, what he felt now was nothing compared to what the Prince would eventually feel. And he made sure that the brat would suffer greatly.

There was a sharp pain in his abdomen and behind his eyes that caused Xiao Lang to freeze up for a moment. Chi Yuen didn't waste any opportunities and attacked him with more fierceness behind each sweep of his blade. Unfortunately for the Prince, the wind spirit was a gentle one and the shape of the sword flickered every time his sword took a pounding from Chi Yuen. It was not made for battling against other swords. Also, Xiao Lang had not yet realized that part of the reason he was feeling exhaustion so early on than usual was that the rings fed off his own power in order to bind themselves with his dragon sword. For all his determination, with the way his body was deteriorating, the Prince simply could not hold up against his opponent. Chi Yuen dealt a swift kick to his ribs and Xiao Lang felt his back slam hard into the rock face behind him. A trickle of blood from a large cut on his forehead dripped down over his face. He slumped over there, his breathing heavy, and found his sword was no longer in his grasp. Instead, it lay a few feet away where he had dropped it just seconds before. A shadow loomed overhead and he didn't have to look up to see who it was. His strength was completely gone.

Chi Yuen crouched down before him and roughly cuffed him on the side of his face. "You really are as weak as ever," he said scornfully. Although Xiao Lang's face was still turned in the direction of his earlier hit, his eyes turned to glare at the older man. Chi Yuen traced a finger from the Prince's throat to his heart. "Killing you would really just be too easy…" He swung his sword up but instead of stabbing Xiao Lang with it, all Xiao Lang heard was a clash of blades. He forced his head to face Chi Yuen, to better see what was happening, and saw his opponent had his sword locked with another, and the latter stood between the two of them. Both Chi Yuen and Xiao Lang froze when they realized who the other person was.

Taking a step back, Chi Yuen now held his sword up defensively. He wondered momentarily if the man that stood before him was a ghost. After all, this _was_ where he had died. That his ghost would appear before him here was not all that unfathomable to him.

Mustering up his strength, Xiao Lang struggled to get the words out. "Mas…ter…?" he asked, voicing his confusion at seeing his supposedly dead teacher. Perhaps because it had been more than a year since he had seen him, but his master's back looked a little smaller to Xiao Lang than ever before. He looked over his shoulder and smiled at his apprentice. There was a long scar he didn't recognize that trailed from his forehead, over his left eye, and down his cheek.

"You've done well," Li Yao Liang told him, dropping the wind ring he had taken off the sword into Xiao Lang's open palm. "It's your turn to rest now." Armed with the now normal dragon sword, he also smiled briefly at his former apprentice without saying another word. With his own phoenix sword tight in his grasp, Chi Yuen stared at the man named Yao Liang for some time, trying to discern for himself if that man was truly alive or not. Earlier, when he had first stepped onto this outcropping, he had wondered for a second that when Yao Liang had supposedly fallen to his death from the cliffs above them, could he have landed here and survived? Yet, even if he did, it was only a slightly shorter fall. He should've already been finished off before he even fell over the cliff. The only conclusion he could come up with was that his former master was much stronger than he had realized at the time. He felt a tightness in his chest. This was definitely interesting. Chi Yuen smiled at the other man in return and changed his stance from defensive to offensive. Regardless of how strong his master was, he was still better and if he had defeated him once, he would just do it again.

The pain behind Xiao Lang's eyes deepened and he shut them for a minute. He could hear their swords crashing together and feel their movements, but when he was able to open his eyelids again, the fog still cloaked everything like a thick blanket. He had so much he wanted to ask Master, so much to tell him, but it already took so much effort for him to just close his hand around the wind ring so he wouldn't lose it. A streak of light flashed by and he forced his eyes to stay open. Chi Yuen had fired a flame spell in Xiao Lang's direction but it was instantly blocked by Yao Liang, his right hand outstretched to stop it. It didn't appear to affect him at all although a hit at such a close range burned his palm. Muttering a spell under his breath, Yao Liang also shot an energy wave at Chi Yuen, strong enough to knock him off the ledge, his sword slipping from his grasp. Before the latter disappeared, Xiao Lang watched in horror as his Master went over the cliff after him. He shut his eyes tight and willed every part of his body to move, trying to summon the energy back. He just couldn't lose his Master a second time, not after finding out he was still alive.

A warm hand pressed lightly on his shoulder. "I'll go this time," someone whispered into his ear. When she stepped into his line of vision, Sakura smiled reassuringly at him, her cheeks still tinted in a faint blush. As she left, Xiao Lang was angry that he could do nothing more than watch as the person he loved also move out of his reach.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Even as Chi Yuen fell over the edge, Yao Liang never counted on something so little to do him any harm. He knew, inevitably, that their battle would just continue wherever they were, but at least here Xiao Lang couldn't be caught in a crossfire on that tiny ledge. Using the dragon sword, he stabbed it into the side of the cliff and used this as his added support. A few feet below him, Chi Yuen was clinging to the rock face, glaring up at the older man.

Since his sword was no longer in his grasp, Chi Yuen was essentially disarmed. He thought rapidly, immediately formulating a new plan. Since Yao Liang would also not be able to use his sword at this very place, everything could still end up in Chi Yuen's favour after all, he thought with a smile. And if he could catch Yao Liang unawares, he had the perfect spell to use. Since certain magic spells required incantations to release them, if his former master was unable to utter a word…

The smile didn't go unnoticed by Yao Liang and he wondered what his ex-pupil was thinking about. He suddenly felt a ripple of power and looked back up to where the cliff's edge was, thinking it might have been Xiao Lang even though the aura hadn't felt like his apprentice's. Instead, he saw a girl. Before he could say anything to her, he sensed that Chi Yuen had let loose a spell and, on reflex, moved out of the way. The girl let out a sharp cry when the spell hit her instead but it was almost instantly muted. She tried to say something, but there was no sound at all. With one hand clutching her throat, her eyes met his and she was frantically pointing at something behind him. Pulling the sword from the wall, Yao Liang jumped aside as lightning struck the spot he had previously occupied. He stabbed the sword again into the cliffside to regain his balance, in a place a little lower than earlier. Chi Yuen scowled as both spells he shot toward his former master had missed him each time and also moved to a place with a better foothold.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Using the wall as support, Xiao Lang forced himself to stand up and lurched forward once before steadying himself. He had to reach Sakura's side. With her set as his goal, he kept his eyes on her the entire time, forcing one foot forward, then another. Having seen the stream of light that hit her earlier and her reaction afterwards, he knew she couldn't speak, but that hadn't kept her from watching the battle happening down below. Despite the fog, the light from the various spells lit up the air and he saw her eyes suddenly widen. She turned around anxiously, finding him already by her side. He had paused to catch his breath and she clung to his tunic, pulling on it, gesturing frantically to something that must have happened below, but as he searched her face, he hadn't a clue as to what it might be. He could hear some shouting from below, including words to an incantation he wasn't familiar with, when a blast came up from behind and struck Sakura. She lost consciousness and fell forward, Xiao Lang catching her in his arms before she hit the ground. After checking to see if she was okay, he laid her down gently and quickly moved to look over the cliffside himself.

The last thing he expected was to find himself looking into Chi Yuen's eyes as the latter clawed at the crumbling ledge, desperately trying to find something stable to hold onto. Yao Liang was a little farther down, by the dragon sword, and was also clinging to the rock face. Although he was hanging on precariously, he didn't seem all too worried that he would fall. How both men had ended up that way during their fight, Xiao Lang couldn't tell. Yao Liang was already making his way back up and clambered up onto the ledge before the Prince could help him, placing the dragon sword down momentarily beside Sakura. And then the ground completely deteriorated beneath Chi Yuen's fingers.

His fall was stopped almost as soon as it began. Someone had grabbed his hand right away and when he looked up, he was shocked to see it was Xiao Lang. The Prince was equally surprised that he had reacted without thinking, but he just couldn't let someone die before his eyes, even if it was an enemy. Yao Liang was also surprised as well, although he remembered that his apprentice had the inclination of being a little too kind.

Even though he held on as tight as he could, Xiao Lang could still feel Chi Yuen slowly slipping from his grasp. With most of his strength still depleted, he didn't know how much longer he could hold on. "Give me your other hand," he shouted down. Chi Yuen stared at him for a long time, struggling to find words to say but instead reached up to him with his other hand. Xiao Lang strained to reach it, his body sweating like crazy, making it all the more difficult for him to hold on. That's when he saw another hand offered to Chi Yuen. He looked over and saw it was his master, also extending help to their opponent. Yao Liang smiled at the Prince and patted him on the back supportively. When they looked back down, Chi Yuen seemed to hesitate at the proposed hand and reluctantly moved up to take it.

That slight hesitation cost him for, at that moment, his hand slipped from Xiao Lang's grasp and he plummeted down. They watched in shock as he disappeared from sight, completely enveloped by the fog that surrounded them. Xiao Lang couldn't move, completely rooted to the spot, his eyelids squeezed shut. It wasn't supposed to happen this way. The mission was now a failure since Chi Yuen still had two of the rings. But that wasn't what bothered him most. No matter who it was, he wasn't even strong enough to save one person. And he just couldn't erase the sight of Chi Yuen's silent scream from his mind. "Xiao Lang, it wasn't your fault," Yao Liang said gently, breaking the grim silence. Xiao Lang opened his eyes and turned to look at his master, filled with remorse he couldn't explain.

Sitting up, the Prince suddenly reached over and hugged his master, still having a hard time believing that he was really alive after all this time. His body was warm and it was comforting to hear the heartbeat of another person. "I'm so happy to see you again," he said, his voice filled with emotion. Yao Liang tussled his hair affectionately.

As they pulled apart, Yao Liang picked up the dragon sword and, after handing it back to Xiao Lang, turned to check on the girl he had seen earlier. It took some time for him to remember who she must be, that Japanese Princess Xiao Lang had spirited away from the capital. She was still unconscious after taking such a bad hit. Earlier, he had tried to block her from Chi Yuen's spell and Yao Liang also suffered from some of its effects. He didn't know who she was, but he thought it would be better if she forgot everything that happened just then. Placing one hand on her forehead, he murmured a short incantation. Wisps of her memory were vanishing one by one. Xiao Lang's eyes widened and moved forward to pull his hand away from her. "Master, wait!" he cried. "What are you doing?" Yao Liang tilted his head in surprise.

"I'm just erasing her memories of today," he replied, shaking off his pupil's hand. "I have to so I can remove Chi Yuen's spell. And she's probably experienced some rather traumatic moments because of him." Xiao Lang's eyes widened. He knew it was selfish, but he didn't want her memories of today to be erased. Because, amidst the probable "trauma", Sakura had confessed her love to him and he had revealed his true feelings to her. However, he was too late for Yao Liang was already finished. Xiao Lang moved to Sakura's side and held her in his arms. "Besides," he admonished in a rather disapproving tone as he walked away a bit to go retrieve the phoenix sword, "I thought I taught you to never involve civilians in your missions."

"I'm sorry, Master," the Prince began. "I just…" Sakura began to stir at that moment and all his attention turned back to her. She blinked her eyelids slowly and looked up into Xiao Lang's warm brown eyes. "Hey," he said softly, lightly brushing her cheek. Sakura glanced around briefly at their surroundings and then stared at him in confusion. The confusion vanished and was immediately replaced by worry as she sat up and took in his entire condition, from all the cuts and bruises that were visible through the tears of his clothes.

"What happened? You're hurt!" she cried, one hand reaching out to lightly touch the cut on his forehead. Xiao Lang caught her hand and pressed it to his cheek as he studied her expression.

"You really don't remember what happened today?" he asked her, "What Chi Yuen did to you-"

"I don't, but who cares about that right now?" she interrupted him, exasperation in her voice. Her eyes were filled with concern, only for him. "Are you all right? Is your health still giving you problems?" She was referring to when he had fallen ill only a few days before. For the first time in a long time, Xiao Lang laughed. Not out of humour, but relief. No matter what happened, it seemed, Sakura would always be Sakura. She would always be thinking about others before herself. She appeared to be a little annoyed with him still when he didn't answer her but her expression softened as she knew this could be taken to mean that he was all right.

When his laughter subsided, Xiao Lang took the hand pressed to his cheek and kissed the palm of her hand, his gaze fixed earnestly on her once more. Sakura flushed, startled at this sudden action, and unsuccessfully tried to withdraw her hand. He reached for her other hand and pulled her closer to him. Right now, it was as if they were the only two people in the world. Nothing hurt anymore and everything just made sense.

"Sakura, _I_ care about what happens to you," he told her seriously. "Not because of a promise, nor for the sake of my mission. You're my friend, but you're more important to me than just that." He paused for a moment, trying to tell her for the second time that day how he felt. "I care because I love you."

"Xiao—Prince Li, you can't," Sakura protested, pulling away from him. "Wing Kay…" Xiao Lang held her hands firmly with his, not letting her leave.

"This isn't about Wing Kay. It's about you and me." She still wasn't looking at him, desperate to keep the balance without remembering that the balance had already been tipped. He let go of her hands and reached out to cup her face, forcing her to face him. Instead, her hands moved to his wrists, trying to remove them. She was trying very hard to ignore her pounding heart. "Sakura, my number one is you." She could no longer avert his gaze and looked up at him. This time, he had looked away. "I've told you this before, actually," he admitted, "but no matter how many times you forget, I'll just keep telling you again and again until you always remember." The usually calm Prince was growing flustered, his ears turning redder by the second, and Sakura had to stifle a smile at this. When his eyes glanced back to meet hers, he couldn't wait and pulled her into a tight hug, already knowing her answer.

Xiao Lang pulled back just a bit to lightly brush off the loose tendrils of hair framing the Princess' face. Lifting her chin, he bent down toward her, his face inches from hers. Sakura was trembling slightly, her eyes never leaving him, and he couldn't help but think how cute she was. But before he moved any further, they were immediately drawn out of their world by the sound of someone clearing their throat. It was Yao Liang.

They pulled apart, almost guiltily, both their faces painted crimson. Yao Liang's smile was rather indulgent as Xiao Lang stammered out an apology, but he was frowning inwardly. From the few short minutes, as he witnessed how close they had become, he worried a little about how he knew, in the future, his apprentice and the Japanese princess could never be allowed to stay together. He had to find some way to keep them apart, for both their sakes or it would cause trouble for everyone involved.

* * *

Author's Note: "The End." ……is what I'd love to say if it was actually finished. -3- I apologize for the delay and have no "excuses" other than work and school to offer. m(x x)m Also, if you're not a member of FF.N (and even if you are) but would still like to be personally notified of updates, please let me know here. 

I was trying to get this chapter finished before Christmas, but exams and work saw to that. Well, a new year's present perhaps? I'm so slow at updating that I don't think anyone keeps up with this anymore. -.- Even I've forgotten what I wrote in the past since my mind's always been filled with the stuff to come and I have to go back to reread it myself. Well, if you've managed to stick it through this long, super hugs and much of my love to you:D

Author's Note to sweet-strawberry692010: "_i almost forgot about this fic…_"  
Yes, that would be entirely my fault. Sorry. D:

Author's Note to SakuraAyanami: "_im sure that i will follow it ti'll the end_"  
Thank you so much for your support. It's really greatly appreciated. :)

Author's Note to Light in the Darkness: "_How come you have so many jobs?! … I hope you get to have fun_"  
Because Sakura (me) is a very, very, very, very poor university student with school still eating up most of her funds. That and she's a horrible impulse buyer. -3- "Fun" (more like "free time")'s no longer in my vocab, unfortunately. :(

Author's Note to Xin Jing: "_I can swear that you will reach the thousandth review mark._"  
I might've thought so before, but with my slow updates and others forgetting this fic (and with good reason, of course -sweatdrops-), I don't find it very likely anymore. D:

Author's Note to Empyreal Entity: "_how long do you plan to make this fic?_"  
Although I know what's happening next and how it's going to end, I don't actually know how many chapters it would take. For one, the chapters I write now are longer than the chapters I wrote in the beginning. I suppose the one thing you can count on is that there will be most likely be no real "filler" type content, as everything that's written contributes to the story somehow. Once upon a time I did want to write a short crossover ficlet between this and Tsubasa, though that was back when Tsubasa first came out and with what's going on in Tsubasa right now, it wouldn't work too well. :P

And thank you summershine, -Kori Kage Tenshi-, lildarkangel122, Broadway Belle, SakuraLiTomoyoHiiragisawa, AfGhAnCuTiE, the original rubber duckie x4, Adeen, kianvelez, cherryblossomsakura2111 x2, alfalfa x2, winderful1, Nanali for your reviews!!

Sakura  
-The Animé Archives


	26. Heart in Darkness

**The Guiding Star**

Heart in Darkness: Chapter Twenty-Six

By: Sakura Kinomoto

A light breeze wafted through the long grass, but it did not interrupt their conversation at all. With her chin resting in one hand, Kinomoto Sakura watched Li Xiao Lang's animated expressions and gestures from afar as he chatted with his teacher, Li Yao Liang. They were sitting together on a grassy slope while she was sitting by the window inside the inn. She had never seen him looking so happy and excited, not realizing that she was also one of the likely reasons he was that way now. She wouldn't have known, anyway, because since the time they had retrieved the Earth ring, they hadn't had a chance to speak to each other at all.

Li Mei Ling joined the princess and looked to see what the latter was watching. "My cousin's just like a little kid when he's with his Master," she observed. Sakura had to agree. Suddenly, both Xiao Lang and Yao Liang looked up and saw the two girls there. Mei Ling waved at them and, after seeing Sakura's hesitation, picked up Sakura's hand and made her wave, too. Both men got up, understanding that it was actually time to eat. When Xiao Lang caught Sakura's eye, his smile deepened and she flushed slightly in response as he quickened his pace back. Mei Ling ran off to get the others and as Sakura was about to leave, she was startled to find Yao Liang staring at her with…was that pity in his eyes? He broke the gaze when Xiao Lang came back to have the older man hurry a little, but Sakura couldn't shake the strange feeling. Was there something he knew that she didn't? What could it be?

- - - - - - - - - - -

In the privacy of one of their rooms, the party of six gathered together for lunch.

"Xiao Lang, congratulations on completing your first mission," Li Di Xuan said, holding his small tea cup up to his cousin. "I'm also amazed that you figured out how to use the rings with your sword." The prince laughed sheepishly.

"I can't take credit for anything," he said. "It was because of everyone's help that I was able to get all of the rings." His hand tightened around the pouch that held all five elemental rings. He couldn't believe that all of them were here together now. For the two that were supposedly lost with Chen Chi Yuen, Yao Liang had given them to the prince, after telling him that he managed to steal them from his former apprentice during their battle on the precipice. "And as for the sword, the Wind ring told me how to use it." When he had been trapped by the Earth ring, the Wind spirit had appeared before him and helped place the Water ring into his sword's hilt. With this stronger power, he was able to cut himself loose and to cut through the walls that blocked him from Sakura and Chi Yuen. It was also with the Water ring that they were able to carve out an exit when they were leaving the collapsed cave, to the surprise of his cousins and Wong Wing Kay waiting outside.

As lunch came to an end, everyone sat in companionable silence. No one moved to put anything away yet. They knew that if they did, they would have to say goodbye to Di Xuan and Mei Ling sooner. Di Xuan had another mission to do on his own this time and Mei Ling would soon be heading home since she was in charge of most of the affairs in their estate. When they knew they could no longer delay the twins' departure, the group gathered just outside the inn to see them off.

Mei Ling clasped Sakura's hands in her own and squeezed them reassuringly. "If there's anything you need, just let us know," she told her, "and come visit us again when you can." Sakura smiled and thanked her with a hug. Di Xuan hoisted his and Mei Ling's stuff over his shoulder and turned to both Xiao Lang and Yao Liang.

"Be careful on your way back," he warned his cousin, reminding him of the amount of people still looking for the prince and princess. "And take care of yourselves." The prince nodded in response and bid him the same. The twins left quickly as the dark clouds overhead, which had been clear just hours earlier, were threatening to rain again.

- - - - - - - - - - -

The room was silent and the light pitter patter of rain could be heard against the window coverings. Xiao Lang sat in a chair with his back to Sakura as she re-braided his hair. Since the prince's hair was much longer now, she was able to weave Wing Kuen's braid into his real hair, making it harder for it to simply fall off. Sakura stifled a smile, remembering the problems that happened last time the braid "fell off". Xiao Lang felt more at peace than ever before; partially because her doing this made it feel as if Wing Kuen had literally become a part of him, and partially because of the princess' gentle touch as she worked. Since they hadn't had a chance to be alone since that time, he wanted to talk to her. However, every time he started to say something, it seemed to make her nervous and she'd lose her place. The prince decided he'd be patient and wait until she was done.

Before Sakura had finished, there was a soft knock on the door and both of them tensed, instantly wary of whom it might be. Both were relieved when they heard Wing Kay's voice, but only momentarily. Xiao Lang knew that before he could say anything to Sakura, he had to talk to Wing Kay first. On Sakura's side, she really liked Wing Kay and it bothered her that her own happiness was coming at the older girl's expense. There was an awkward silence when Wing Kay entered the room. But when she smiled at them, the tension dissipated slightly, although Xiao Lang detected a hint of sadness in her smile. Sakura finished up and excused herself, leaving the two of them alone.

In the hallway, Sakura was surprised to see Yao Liang quietly beckoning to her. After she entered his room, he quickly scanned the halls to see if anyone was around and closed the doors. She was seated by the tableside as he paced slowly before her, wondering where to begin. When their eyes met, he stopped and sat down across from her.

"You've really changed that apprentice of mine," Yao Liang said with a wry smile. She immediately protested to this, but he knew it to be true. "He's a lot more open now than when he was with Wing Kay. I was never able to talk with him like this before, since he would always just keep everything bottled up. It's like you're a good experience for him." The Japanese princess wasn't sure of how to response to his words. And then his smile vanished.

"However," he said, more seriously this time, "that's all you can be for him. An experience. A _short_ experience." Sakura stared at him in surprise, not understanding where he was going with this. "Regardless of how much you think you love each other, it doesn't matter. You two simply can't stay together for much longer."

"But why?" she blurted out. Sakura clamped her hand over her mouth instantly, surprised that she had spoken out without thinking.

"If you were an ordinary girl like Wing Kay, without magic powers, it would have been fine." _But I_ am _just an ordinary girl_, Sakura wanted to argue. But she didn't interrupt him again. "Although both you and Xiao Lang have magic within you," he continued, "the powers are different and they don't mesh well together. It was all right before but now with both of your heightened feelings, especially Xiao Lang's, your powers have become stronger. If they continue to clash like this, they would eventually ruin both of you and hurt other people around you."

After his tone of finality, it was a while before either spoke again.

"What kind of powers do I have?" Sakura ventured to ask. Even if she had known that she possessed a bit of magic after meeting Xiao Lang, she still knew nothing about them. Yao Liang studied her for a few moments.

"I don't know," he said finally. "Sometimes it feels like it's from the moon, like Xiao Lang's, and sometime its power is like the sun. It's this constant change in your power that makes it even more dangerous for him." At Sakura's unhappy expression, he found he had no words of comfort. Instead, in a lower tone, he added, "Don't mention any of this to Xiao Lang. He has enough to worry about as it is. Let yourselves be separated naturally. When he hands the rings to the Li Council and fulfills his mission, that's when you should both part ways." He stood up. "I trust that you'll do the right thing." He left then, without waiting for her response, leaving her alone to think over what he had said. Moments later, she was still at the table, her head buried in her arms.

- - - - - - - - - - -

The air around Xiao Lang and Wing Kay was rather uncomfortable now. Wing Kay was seated, pretending to be interested in a loose thread on her sleeve while Xiao Lang sat across her, trying to think of where to start. "Wing Kay," he began uncertainly, searching for the words to continue. He awkwardly placed his hand over hers. She looked up then and their eyes met. Her eyes were still as pretty as he remembered, its depth never wavering. When they had first met, he never thought a day would come that they'd have to separate. After Wing Kay had disappeared that time, he also believed then he could never love again. Meeting Sakura had slowly changed everything for him and he simply couldn't imagine his life without her now, nor did he want to. For a moment, he wondered if Sakura had been in this position before, since she did leave that fair-haired Japanese man she had been engaged to behind just to join him.

When he thought of Sakura, there was no longer any hesitation. As much as he cared for Wing Kay, little by little, Xiao Lang's feelings _had_ changed. And he didn't want to be the one that held her back anymore. With that in mind, he told her everything: how he felt when she left, the confusion he was in when he saw her again, and his true feelings now. As he spoke, she didn't say anything and her eyes were on her lap, although he could feel her hand faintly tremble every now and then. He felt inclined to squeeze that hand, to reassure her, but he didn't.

After he finished, Wing Kay took her hand back from under his, still not looking at the prince. The silence that followed was awful and he looked away for a moment. To be honest, Xiao Lang was afraid, afraid to know how much he had hurt her because of his indecisiveness. At a light touch on his hand, he looked up, his heart hurting at the somber smile on her face.

"I know I said before I'd stay by your side," she said, "But I think it'd be better if I leave. And your mission is over now, so it's not like you need my help anymore." She stood up and bowed to him. "Thank you for everything up until now." She turned and hurried to leave.

"Wait!"

Xiao Lang already found himself by her side before he realized it, with a hand on her wrist, pulling her back to face him. He expected to see tears and was almost relieved that there were no traces of any. He wracked his brain, trying to think of a reason to justify why he had stopped her. "Is there somewhere you want to go?" he asked impulsively. Wing Kay looked at him questioningly. "I mean, before we drop off the rings, at least let us accompany you wherever you want to go first, to make sure you get there safely." His grip tightened a bit. "No matter what, you're still important to me."

Wing Kay started to shake her head but she froze when someone called her name. Both she and Xiao Lang turned to see Yao Liang, his expression unreadable. It was he who had called for her. "At least sleep on it, Wing Kay," said the older man, "and tell us tomorrow." Wing Kay looked from both Xiao Lang to Yao Liang and, at the latter's smile of encouragement, nodded slowly in agreement.

She pulled her hand free from his grasp again but reached up to him instead, her fingertips lightly brushing his cheek. "Sometimes you're a little too kind," she whispered a little sadly. Xiao Lang stared after her as she walked away to join Yao Liang, the latter patting her reassuringly on the shoulder. The prince knew that he couldn't be the one to comfort her any longer and, at the thought of that, there was a dull ache in his chest. As he watched her disappear from his sight, he sometimes wondered if he was doing the right thing. But Sakura…

Suddenly remembering Sakura, Xiao Lang went to look for her. Something else was nagging at him as he checked her room first and after finding it empty, went to check Yao Liang's room. Although Wing Kay and Yao Liang had only met a few days ago, his master seemed a lot closer to her than with Sakura. And because both his master and the princess were the dearest people alive to him, it bothered him a little.

Peeking into his master's room, Xiao Lang found Sakura with her head buried in her arms, as Yao Liang had left her. He hurried in, quietly shutting the doors, and was by her side in an instant.

"Sakura, are you all right? Do you feel strange anywhere?" he asked her anxiously, one hand resting on her shoulder. He was still worried that Chi Yuen's spell might have done something horrible to her, even if Yao Liang was supposed to have already nulled its effects. Sakura glanced up and nearly jumped back in surprise at seeing his face just inches from hers.

"I-I'm fine," she said with a pretentious laugh. "Everything's all right." She tried to get up, but he pulled her into his arms instead, holding her tight. "Prince Li…" she protested. He only pulled her closer to him.

His eyes were closed and his cheek pressed against the side of her head. "Xiao Lang," he whispered into her ear. "Call me Xiao Lang."

Sakura squeezed her eyes shut. _That_ other thing wasn't important right now. Everything that Yao Liang had said earlier was pushed to the back of her mind. Her arms encircled the prince and she hugged him back. "Xiao Lang," she said softly. All that mattered at the moment was that she loved him and he loved her back. If their being together was a problem, they'd look for a solution for it together. Later.

Xiao Lang could feel her body relax, wondering what accounted for the earlier stiffness. He had noticed from the start that she was hiding something but he wasn't going to press her about it. For now, all that he cared about was that she was in his arms and he was never going to let her go.

- - - - - - - - - - -

"The capital."

Her eyes were downcast as she spoke. She wasn't purposely avoiding his eyes, but there was an awkward air about them that would probably never disappear.

"I want to go to the capital, if it's okay." Xiao Lang raked a hand through his unruly morning hair, his expression neutral. Of all places for them to go, the capital would be the most dangerous for Sakura and himself. "After that time," she continued, referring to when they had seen each other for what was expected to be the last time, "I ran away from home, there was someone that helped me. I want to go see that person again, to thank them for everything." She looked up at him and tried to muster a smile, though it resulted in a slight grimace. "It's time I stopped running away. I'll start over once more in the city I grew up in."

The prince didn't need time to think it over. "The capital is fine," he said, one hand clenched tight by his side. "Because of what happened in the past, neither Sakura nor I can enter it, but we'll make sure you get there safely." Wing Kay was about to head into her room to get her things ready when she paused for a moment and looked back at him.

"Xiao Lang, you really _do_ love Sakura, don't you?" He was surprised at the earnest tone in her voice, as if she hadn't been sure if everything he told her last night was the absolute truth. It was probably because of that that he had hesitated before answering.

With a slight smile, he nodded. "I really do."

This seemed to satisfy Wing Kay and she disappeared into the room she shared with the princess. Xiao Lang was still perplexed when he felt someone's gaze on him and quickly turned around. It was only Yao Liang, walking up the stairs. The preparations were ready, including the extra materials he had gone to purchase with Wing Kay the night before. They would leave that very day. The older man stood at the top of the stairs, his gaze locked with his apprentice's. The prince was the first to look away. After the feeling of happiness and relief that his master was alive had subsided, he was actually beginning to feel a little uncomfortable in his presence. He immediately pushed all disloyal thoughts aside. Nothing could be better than Yao Liang still being alive. Whatever this feeling was, he'd have time to figure it out later.

- - - - - - - - - - -

It had been a long time since they last saw him and Xiao Lang still thought it could have been a bit longer. Their journey toward the capital had been filled with many obstacles and they had been plagued with so many little problems that half a month's journey had taken nearly two. The last thing – or last person, rather – that he wanted to deal with now was his distant relative. Standing in their way, blocking the only pathway to one of the capital city's side entrances was Li Yu Hong. He also scowled a bit when his eyes met the prince's and they both could feel hostility in each other's presences.

"What are you doing here, Prince Li?" Yu Hong asked him, not taking his eyes off the trio before him. Sakura was standing with Wing Kay just behind the prince and they had stopped when Xiao Lang did earlier. "Your mission is complete, isn't it? Why are you wasting your time here instead of going straight back to the Elders?"

Xiao Lang was mildly surprised that Yu Hong knew he had collected the five rings and wasn't sure whether that knowledge came from the Elders themselves or someone else. They had never been on great terms but since his relative's suspected affiliation with Chi Yuen, he now felt more mistrust towards him than ever before. "We're just here to accompany Wing Kay because she wants to go to the capital," was his wary response.

"She can't," Yu Hong blurted out. He coughed and cleared his throat. "I mean, the Elders actually want you to bring her with you when you return, to see her." He seemed to be searching for the right words. "I guess they just want to see her because she had been around you and your mission when she shouldn't have been in the first place," he added, almost as an afterthought.

The Prince's eyes narrowed at the rather weak supporting sentence. Surely the Council would have known she had been with them all this time. What changed? Why see her now? And since Chi Yuen was dead now, surely Yu Hong's ties to him were lost. "What are you planning?" Xiao Lang demanded, taking a slow step back, one arm held out protectively because of the two behind him. Yu Hong seemed genuinely surprised at this question and hesitated before answering.

"I'm not planning anything," he insisted. "I'm only following their orders right now. And I just want to help."

"Whose orders?" Xiao Lang countered. He went on before the other could say something. "And, frankly speaking, we don't want any more of your 'help'. Nor do we have any reason to trust you anymore." He didn't continue at this point as he knew Wing Kay had already drawn an arrow, already dipped into the potion, and had it aimed at Yu Hong. She could feel the prince's unease towards the older man and wouldn't leave him in a situation where he felt threatened.

"Yu Hong," she said, speaking up for the first time, "just leave us alone and don't come bother us anymore. If you don't, I won't have any qualms about using this, even if it is on you." In that instant, Xiao Lang turned around, grabbed Sakura by the hand, and ran back up the path. Wing Kay right behind them. Although they were so close to the capital, with this way blocked, they'd have to find another way to get Wing Kay back in. Yu Hong started after them but immediately crashed into something. He picked himself up and looked around, not seeing what he had hit. Then he heard a cackle of energy and looked forward, reaching out with one hand. His hand touched an invisible barrier. He tried a few spells and became increasingly frustrated as none of them worked. With this in place, he could only watch as they escaped, unable to even track them from this position.

"How the heck am I going to explain this to 'him'?" he muttered to himself, raking a hand through his hair with a sigh.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Yao Liang ushered his apprentice and the girls back under the cover he made and he couldn't help but notice the sullen expression on the prince's face and gave him a quick reassuring pat on the back. His eyes then fell on the prince's hand, which was still gripping tightly on the princess' hand he had never let go of since they made their escape, and the older man frowned a little. Even as they returned and settled in, Xiao Lang was still lost in thought, his patience beginning to wear thin. Their luck had been simply awful since they left the vicinity of the last ring's location. Yu Hong was just the latest of their recent string of bad luck.

In these past two months, they had run into a bigger assortment of Shui Ken's guards than when he was traveling alone with Sakura in the past year. Some of the guards had recognized them, others had not, and they usually just barely got away. The problem with being recognized at all was that Shui Ken could then anticipate where they might be headed and they would have even more of his guards to deal with. For emergency purposes, they had each split the bit of money they had amongst themselves but, at some point, both Wing Kay's and Sakura's was stolen. Upon this discovery, Yao Liang proposed that they pair up in the meantime. Xiao Lang had been surprised when his master immediately said he would take care of the princess, mostly because he had wanted to be with Sakura and also because he never thought the relationship between Sakura and Yao Liang to be particularly strong. He was a little frustrated that he couldn't be near Sakura most of the time when they had split up occasionally but at least he trusted his master to watch over her. But with the constant splitting up and having to regroup, and trying to avoid being found out by Shui Ken's guards, their arrival at the capital was constantly delayed.

Someone was gently calling his name and Xiao Lang snapped out of his reverie, his eyes meeting Sakura's. He realized then that he was still holding her hand and quickly let go, a sheepish smile on his face. She looked like she was wanted to say something more but apologized instead as she went out to help Yao Liang and Wing Kay refill their water supply. The prince watched as they left, his eyes on Sakura's back, and his hand clenched into a tight fist. He couldn't quite put his finger on why, but he felt more overwhelmed than usual, as their most recent escape had left him feeling rather drained. His master was always reminding him that he was there for them, although he would never be around if he sensed someone in the service of the Li magician council. From the beginning, Yao Liang had said he wanted to surprise them by showing the council he was still alive after all and asked the others not to mention a word of his current existence. In exchange for his absence, he watched over them from afar and it was he who had erected that barrier that stalled Yu Hong from immediately following after them.

A cool breeze wafted through their campsite, the first cool air they had felt for months. The summer months were coming to a close and the further north they traveled, the more they would need to prepare for the colder temperatures. He drew a short sigh as he wondered again what would become of Sakura and himself after his mission was complete. The council had objected so strongly to her being brought along in the beginning and if he was given a mission of a different nature, there was no guarantee that she would be allowed to stay with him anymore.

Hearing a twig snap, Xiao Lang immediately bolted up and looked around. There was no one in sight, nor had the others returned yet. At that moment, he saw a bird fly away and he leaned back again. He had been rather jumpy as of late, after all their unwanted encounters. Regardless, he kept his sword near him, just in case. It was then that he caught a movement from the corner of his eye and rolled away just in time as a masked man stabbed the place he had been sitting in before. Bandits, he noted immediately, eyeing the group before him. It took a moment for him to notice that those in front of him were just distracting him and the prince turned around right away to find another bandit behind him. But before he could react, a bucket of water was dumped over the bandit. Sakura, just returning at that very moment, had did it without thinking first.

"Ughhh!" cried the drenched man, cursing loudly as he went to attack Sakura. She threw the bowl at him instead and quickly moved out of the way. Xiao Lang immediately jumped up, sheathed sword in one hand and, with Sakura now behind him, slowly moved back, his eye on as many of the bandits as he could see. He knew then that unless Yao Liang and Wing Kay returned at this time, the two of them were completely outnumbered. Before any of the other bandits could threaten them, like before, he took the princess by the hand once more and fled.

The bandit group soon gave chase but some of the men could run faster than others. For the first ones that caught up with them, the prince slowed down for a moment, gave his sword to Sakura, and knocked the two bandits down with a fierce punch each, before taking her hand again and continuing forward. This continued a few times, sometimes with Xiao Lang delaying them by pinning them to a tree with his small daggers, sometimes Sakura knocking them out by using the prince's sheathed sword. Either way, after some time when there was no one else behind them, the two collapsed against each other, tired out from running, and relieved to have finally escaped their grasp. Neither could speak as they both tried to catch their breath. Thinking back, Xiao Lang was surprised at how dull his senses had become as he hadn't sensed their initial presence at all, nor of the one behind him in the beginning. If Sakura hadn't returned at that moment…

Something cool patted lightly against his forehead. Using a little bit of water from her flask, Sakura was using the cloth to wipe the sweat from his brow. "Xiao Lang, you're so impulsive sometimes," she said ruefully. Maybe it was because of all his recent pent up longing for her, but just hearing her say his name made him feel incredibly warm inside. The prince reached out to lightly touch her cheek and then pulled her into a hug instead. "Xiao Lang," she protested weakly, as she dropped her wash cloth.

"Even if it's because of what just happened," he said, his gaze only on her, "I'm happy to have this chance to be alone with you. We haven't been for a long time and I…kind of…missed you." Sakura's expression softened and she nodded in agreement, a faint blush on her cheeks. When Yao Liang had given her an excuse to not be alone with the prince by pairing up with the former instead, Sakura had been reluctant to use it, because no matter how "bad" she was for Xiao Lang, she didn't like being apart from him. Xiao Lang held her closer and pulled Sakura into a deep kiss.

At the sound of approaching footsteps, they stopped and stayed silent, Xiao Lang's arms around her protectively. Both were relieved to see Yao Liang and Wing Kay, who had finally tracked them down again, for a few seconds before they guiltily pulled apart. Looking up, the prince noticed, for the first time, the disapproving eye Yao Liang had cast in Sakura's direction and was surprised to see this.

It did not take long for the four of them to set up a new campsite and soon Sakura and Wing Kay were fast asleep by the campfire, exhausted from the day's events. Yao Liang and Xiao Lang sat side by side in companionable silence, although the latter's gaze rested more often on the princess than not. Without a word, Yao Liang suddenly reached out with one hand and completely ruffled the top of the prince's head, messing up his hair.

"You used to look like that when you woke up," his master said, a nostalgic smile on his lips, as Xiao Lang tried to fix the unruly mess the former had made. Something seemed…different with Yao Liang tonight, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it. "Although we've been apart for so long," he continued, his hand resting on the prince's shoulder, "you've been able to accomplish so much and even finish the mission I couldn't. I'm proud of the man you've become." Xiao Lang wasn't used to such praise from his master and his face flushed with embarrassment.

"Master," the prince began hesitantly, wanting to ask him about something that had been bothering him. Yao Liang turned to listen to him intently. "Lately it feels like there's something wrong with me. I have a harder time sensing anything these days, I get tired more easily as the day goes by, and-"

"Nonsense!" Yao Liang cried, dismissing it immediately. "There's nothing wrong. The past few months have been too overwhelming for you. You just need to rest more and sleep properly. We'll try to find an inn for tomorrow night and you'll be fine after a good night's sleep, you'll see. Don't worry about it too much."

"Well, if you're sure," Xiao Lang said slowly, rather uncertainly. He stopped himself. Who was he to question his master's words, anyway? "We _have_ been on the move for a long time…" Yao Liang ruffled his apprentice's hair again, lightly this time.

"Let's just get some sleep for now and we can worry about finding an inn tomorrow." With a smile, Xiao Lang nodded and fell asleep almost immediately.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Since they had been on the move at a moment's notice for so long, Sakura had gotten used to reacting at unfamiliar sounds. This time, hearing the rustling of cloth was not exactly unusual but she forced herself to wake up anyway. The fire had died long ago, but she could still make out shapes in the dim moonlight. It was then that she saw a shadow looming over Xiao Lang and froze for a moment at the sight. Instinctively, she reached out and grabbed at the shadow and, when that person realized they had been seen, pulled back right away. Something ripped but he didn't stop to check and vanished from sight, dropping something when he left. Sakura, still grasping a piece of cloth, quickly moved to the prince's side and saw that whoever was just there had tried to steal the elemental rings as the pouch lay on the ground beside him. She quickly looked around and, seeing no one, pocketed the rings herself.

Glancing over at Xiao Lang, Sakura was surprised that the commotion above him just now had not woken him up. When they had first escaped the palace, he was alerted to every single sound, even if he had been asleep just a second before. Most likely, after getting over his horrid illness and the lack of sleep he'd been getting after all this time, he was thoroughly exhausted. She placed a light kiss on his cheek before she fell asleep again beside him.

- - - - - - - - - - -

No one was more startled than Xiao Lang when he found Sakura right by his side when he woke up. He didn't know why she was suddenly beside him but he wasn't going to complain. She was so near him now that he could just… Reaching over, he gently grasped a few of the loose tendrils of hair that framed her face. As he leaned in closer to her, she woke up then and, at realizing their close proximity, both of them jumped back in surprise, blushing madly. The commotion they made also woke Yao Liang and Wing Kay from their respective slumbers.

Since they had been forced to abandon their previous campsite in a hurry, the group was extremely low on all supplies. Besides the clothes on their backs, the only extra materials they had on them were the bowls used by Wing Kay and Yao Liang to collect water and their individual water flasks and outer cloaks. They would have to venture into the nearest town if they wanted anything to eat. As the others were cleaning up the campsite and packing what little extras they had, Sakura was picking up and dusting off the cloaks they had used to sleep on.

"Here, Master Li," she said, as she handed Yao Liang his own cloak back. Yao Liang glanced down at her and Sakura did not expect to see the coldness of his gaze.

"Thanks." His reply was rather short and curt. He looked at her for only a moment more before turning around and immediately walking away from her to attend to other matters.

The princess wasn't hurt but still a little surprised. She had known of his dislike of her from the beginning and, despite that, he was never rude to her before. Had she done something to anger him? He seemed to be far moodier than usual. Someone touched her shoulder lightly and she turned around. Xiao Lang smiled at her for a moment as he took his outer robe back from her. "Oh," she murmured softly as she watched him help Wing Kay, suddenly remembering Yao Liang's warnings from a few weeks ago. Was he angry because she had been getting closer to the prince instead of trying to separate from him? But as the days wore by, it was getting harder and harder to even fathom the idea of not being by Xiao Lang's side.

Wing Kay was restringing each of their water flasks when the prince went to Yao Liang to discuss their plans for the rest of the day. As the older man donned his outer robes, she noticed that his left sleeve cuff was rather tattered. She made a mental note to ask him later if he wanted her to mend it for him. When she looked up, her eyes met Yao Liang's, who caught her watching him, but he didn't avert his gaze as he straightened his outer sleeves to cover the torn one.

It wasn't long before the group was on the move again. They had paired off once more, just in case they needed to split up at a moment's notice. Yao Liang's unexplained moodiness had not evaporated yet so Sakura remained silent as well. Her gaze rested for a moment on the prince walking just ahead of her. _Let yourselves be separated naturally… I trust that you'll do the right thing._ Yao Liang's words echoed in her head and she forced herself to stop looking at Xiao Lang. The older man beside her occasionally watched her out of the corner of his eye for the last little while. The princess' expressions were too transparent sometimes; regardless, at least she was properly thinking over what he had said before.

Sakura paused in step, her hand suddenly reaching up to close around the key pendant hanging around her neck. In the past, the key glowed whenever it was near the elemental rings when they were searching for them, but it hadn't reacted to anything other than that. So what was this feeling coming from the key? Why was it so warm? Instinctively, she reached into her pocket to touch the rings. Being at such a close proximity, the rings were beginning to resonate with her star key, the one item they felt closest to.

The moment Sakura's fingers brushed against the ring's metal surface, an image flashed before her eyes. She stopped again, momentarily stunned. It felt like they were trying to tell her something. Another image flashed in her mind, a different one this time, and her head suddenly began to hurt as more of these images tried to force themselves into her subconscious. Yao Liang caught the princess when she stumbled then, her vision unclear, her hands clutching her aching head. Sakura didn't see the concerned faces of the people around her and was instead becoming dizzy from the fuzzy scenes flashing before her eyes, trying to make her remember something.

Xiao Lang's expression was all anxiety, as he sat half kneeled before the princess. _Was she dizzy because she hadn't eaten anything yet?_ he wondered, noting her paleness. She was murmuring something inaudible under her breath, her eyes still squeezed shut. "Chi Yuen…" she whispered, the pain suddenly subsiding as if she had come to a realization. Xiao Lang was perplexed at this, wondering if the earlier dizziness wasn't related to her lack of food but perhaps a side effect from Chi Yuen's spell.

"Chi Yuen…" Sakura repeated again, her eyes opening again. "He was…"

Before she could say anything else, Yao Liang, still holding the princess from when he had caught her, had covered her mouth with his other hand and jumped back. It had happened so fast that neither Xiao Lang nor Wing Kay had a chance to react. "Master," Xiao Lang began slowly, not taking his eyes off either of them. "What's going on? What do you think you're doing?" With one hand still covering her mouth, Yao Liang moved his other hand and rested it just above Sakura's heart. He could feel the rapid beating of her heart beneath his palm and could only stifle a chuckle at his apprentice's indignant face.

"Hand over the rings," Yao Liang told him coolly, his grip on Sakura tightening. "Otherwise, I'll kill her." The princess had tried to remove herself from his clutches to no avail and her objections were muffled by his hand.

For Xiao Lang, this was like something out of a nightmare. He couldn't understand why this was even happening. It was just so…out of character for his master to do something like this. Nothing was making sense anymore. And being forced to choose between the mission he had been given by the Li council and the life of the girl he loved…at least, that wasn't a hard decision for him to make. Without hesitation, he reached for the pouch with the rings and grasped at empty air. They were gone. His face remained neutral, no outward sign that anything else was wrong, but his mind raced frantically, trying to retrace his steps and think of where they could have gone. As time crept by, Yao Liang's expression became more and more impatient as he waited for his apprentice to produce the rings.

"You don't know what I can really do, so don't keep me waiting," the older man warned the prince. His grip tightened further, causing Sakura to emit a strangled choke as both of her hands still tried to move Yao Liang's hand. "Don't fool around. I'm not joking anymore." Xiao Lang's eyes darted from both his master to Sakura, at a loss of what to do, his agitated feelings clouding his judgment.

To everyone's surprise, Sakura reached into her pocket and pulled out the pouch with the rings. Yao Liang reached out to take them but instead of giving them to him, Sakura threw the pouch at Xiao Lang. Instinctively, the prince reached out to catch them. Distracted by this action, Yao Liang's grasp around Sakura loosened a bit and she bit his hand. He pulled back suddenly and she pushed him away, running back to Xiao Lang's side. It did not take long for Yao Liang to recover and in his anger he shot a spell at Sakura and Wing Kay, knocking them both out. Xiao Lang was able to catch the unconscious Sakura before she fell but Wing Kay was too far from him. An arrow slipped from the latter girl's fingers after she hit the ground. Yao Liang had also taken her out because he noticed the arrow she had taken out earlier and didn't want to give her the chance to use it on him.

With the pouch clutched tight in his hand, Xiao Lang gathered Sakura in his arms and hurried toward Wing Kay's side. Before he had even gone one step, an energy blast struck him on the chest and he landed hard on his back, Sakura still in his arms. He tried to move but found his body was no longer listening to him. Yao Liang had hit him with a paralytic spell. His master loomed overhead, carelessly shoving Sakura aside, and kicked the prince over so that he lay on his stomach. Xiao Lang, his eyes on Sakura as she lay unconscious beside him, struggled against the spell, willing every muscle in his body to move. Nothing did. Yao Liang plucked the bag of rings from the ground and unceremoniously sat on his apprentice, pinning him to the ground.

"Even after all this time, you're still just a naïve brat," Yao Liang mused aloud, speaking more to himself than the prince. "From the first time I met you, I've always hated you. I made everything harder for you, just to be able to watch you suffer." As he continued, Xiao Lang couldn't help but wish that the words he spoke were false or that there was some hidden meaning behind them instead. But given the current circumstances, every word his master uttered simply caused pain to his heart. It was when he heard "Chi Yuen" did the prince pause for a moment in his struggles. "…had detoured me for a while," he was saying, "but now that he's out of the picture, he can no longer interfere again."

"What…did you say?" Even speaking had become difficult for Xiao Lang. Although he couldn't see his face, Xiao Lang could feel his master's cold eyes watching him, almost piteously.

"I've been searching for these rings for a while," Yao Liang said, lightly bouncing the small bag in the palm of his hands, the rings clinking together with each toss. "Not for the Elders and their ridiculous mission, but for myself. Chi Yuen knew that and has been trying to collect them before I could get them, his way of stopping me. You were also an added interference to him so he did what he could to get rid of you." He stood up then, and Xiao Lang felt the pressure off his back for a moment. Suddenly, his foot pressed down on the back of Xiao Lang's head, pushing his face into the dirt. A moment later, with his hands grasping tight on the prince's hair, Yao Liang pulled the boy's head up. Xiao Lang sputtered for a moment, spitting the dirt out of his month, still trying to struggle out of the binding spell. "This really suits you," his master murmured into his ears, "traitor prince." Yao Liang released him again and straightened up once more before delivering a swift kick to the prince's stomach. Gasping in pain, Xiao Lang could only watch as the older man began to walk away. "I'll be leaving now," Yao Liang said casually over his shoulder. "But I'll be back to take other things more important to you. Oh, and thanks for the prize." Without another word, he disappeared.

Xiao Lang slowly rolled over to his side, not realizing that the binding spell had been lifted. He felt completely defeated. He had been beaten as badly as that time he fought Chi Yuen and had been left to die. No, it actually felt much worse. He clutched his chest, his heart aching from a mixture of shock and pain, his mind a mess. Even if the spell was gone, Xiao Lang could no longer gather the strength to move. Everything seemed to be getting darker and darker. The last thing he saw before the darkness completely enveloped him was Sakura, still lying motionless on the ground before him.

- - - - - - - - - - -

_Master is always kind of cold._

That had been one of the first thoughts Xiao Lang ever had of his teacher. When they had first met all those years ago, Xiao Lang couldn't forget the coolness of Yao Liang's eyes as he looked at him. At the same time, his master had never treated him badly. He taught him well. Maybe he saw a diligent learner in the quiet prince and couldn't grudge him for it.

Yao Liang had also been a quiet person. Just as Xiao Lang never volunteered anything freely after losing Wing Kay, Yao Liang kept a tight lip on everything outside training. But around the time the emperor had first become ill, his master's expressions were already less severe and the prince found, in this older man, a substitute for the father he had not seen in years. That coldness soon vanished completely in their master-apprentice relationship and since then, Xiao Lang began to open up more and more to him.

As more of his memories resurfaced, Xiao Lang couldn't help but feel strange, seeing all his past times with his master flashing before his eyes. If he reached out just a bit, he could almost just touch him, his master's younger self. Someone grabbed the wrist of his outstretched hand, stopping him. Xiao Lang looked up, seeing Yao Liang standing before him, his memories shattering. Yao Liang looked as tired and old as the time his master had saved him from Chi Yuen's recent attack on the cliff. He reached out with his other hand and covered the prince's eyes. "I don't want you to see this," he whispered softly, a hint of sadness in his voice.

At the sudden darkness, Xiao Lang felt his chest tighten. He hated it, this perpetual night. He didn't like not being able to see anything. Pushing his master's hand away, Xiao Lang's eyes widened in surprise. Yao Liang stood with his back facing his apprentice. This all seemed eerily familiar to him. Looking down, he could see the tip of a sword protruding through the older man's back and the prince swallowed hard, stumbling back in shock. Yao Liang turned to look at him over his shoulder and smiled as he tries to say "it's all right" but coughed up blood instead, his face contorted with pain as the sword was pulled out of him. As his master dropped to his knees, his hands clutching the wound, Xiao Lang could see past him to the owner of the sword. Chi Yuen.

It occurred to Xiao Lang then that this was the first time he had seen Chi Yuen's face so clearly. Over and over in the past, when Xiao Lang had replayed the scene of his master dying to save the prince because of his foolishness, his murderer's face had always been obstructed somehow. That is, until now. Was it because Xiao Lang now knew for a fact that the one who had killed Yao Liang was Chi Yuen?

Xiao Lang reached out to help the man before him and was astonished to find himself holding Chi Yuen, a pained expression etched out over his features, clutching his stomach as he glared at the younger boy. Master, now, was the one holding the bloodied sword. And it was master who once again plunged the sword through Chi Yuen's chest with such force that it pierced the heart of the prince behind him. Xiao Lang's mouth hung open in a silent scream and everything turned black.

- - - - - - - - - - -

With a strangled yell, the prince bolted upright, his right hand clutching his chest once again. It must have still been night as everything was pitch black, even with his eyes wide open. Had that just been a dream? None of that could have happened. There was no way master could have hated him all this time. He had to believe that. And yet… What he felt in his chest was real and he doubled over in pain. He never wanted to see his master do that to him again.

"_Traitor prince…"_

Xiao Lang didn't want to admit it, but he was certain that part was not a dream. It wouldn't have hurt him this much if it had just been a figment of his own imagination.

It was some time before her voice reached his ears. One hand was gently rubbing his shoulder while the other had slipped into his outstretched hand. He squeezed it once for reassurance. "Sa…kura?" His mouth had been completely dry until then and his voice cracked.

In the darkness, he felt her wrap her arms around him in a tight hug. "Thank goodness you're okay," she said, her tone fully conveying her relief. The image of her lying unconscious before him came to his mind again. He wanted to erase that. Instead, he wanted to fill his mind with the girl in front of him now.

"Sakura, how about getting some light in here? I want to see you."

Sakura stared at him for a moment, glanced back at Wing Kay, who had been standing behind her the whole time, and looked back at the prince. From the moment they had woken up in the middle of the forest and found Xiao Lang lying unconscious and injured with Yao Liang missing, the two girls had brought Xiao Lang to the closest town they could find and were able to scrap enough money from what he had leftover to stay at an inn for a little while. The prince had been asleep for almost two full days. "But…" Wing Kay began hesitantly, her voice sounding further away from him than Sakura's, "it's the middle of the day now and…." Her voice trailed off.

Xiao Lang blinked in surprise, his expression troubled. That couldn't be right. His eyes were wide open and he couldn't see anything. He suddenly reached out in to touch Sakura's shoulder and the back of his hand bumped into her cheek instead. Sakura took that hand and lowered it. "I know you're looking at me," Sakura said, "but you really can't see me?"

His head began throbbing and the immense amount of pressure around his eyes increased so he closed them. The shouts of both girls sounded very far away from him now as he felt himself falling back onto the bed. _Is this what he meant?_ he dimly wondered before losing consciousness once more.

"_I'll be back to take other things more important to you."_

* * *

Author's Note: In attempts to graduate a little sooner, I started taking summer school. Yay. More school. And work. It's like it never ends. …yay. What frustrates me most is not so much the little time I have to write but the fact that, despite already knowing full well what's going to happen in (almost) every chapter, I can never seem to write them in a way that…well, is coherent and interesting. -3- 

The TGS site is still at http://taa. but I've been thinking of maybe moving to an LJ account in case the server space is gone. Would that be an easier option for everyone or just leave it as is until the space actual goes?

I'm currently not sending out chapter notifications as I accidentally lost the file containing the emails. If you would still like to emailed when a new chapter is out, please leave me your email address here.

Author's Note to Hikari Clow Reed: "_Will anyone besides the people you put in now be appearing in the story like Eriol or Yue or Mizuki? Also, will Sakura ever go back to Japan and will Xiao Lang go with her?_"  
Eriol has shown up once back in chapter 21, as part of the flashback. While Kaho (Mizuki) definitely exists, since the focus has been little on the Japan side, she doesn't really have a role to play right now. As for your second question, that I can't answer since it would spoil the ending. :)

Author's Note to Boheme: "_maybe we can get another one in time for my birthday?_"  
:D Happy (early) birthday!

Author's Note to waterlilies52: "_of course history facts are a little.._"  
No matter what, this is all still just pseudo-history, so while I might try to maintain certain elements of the past (setting, geography, people even), it still has nothing to do with/no tie to our actual historical past. As it is, that would just complicate everything way, way, way too much. :P

And thank you Adeen, SakuraAyanami, FuyuSarah, Light in the Darkness, AfGhAnCuTiE, sailorsakura-SAMA, chibiNeko192, Lovewish, KayJuli, kianvelez, cfmotl, and Thoren x2 for your reviews!!

Sakura  
-The Animé Archives


	27. What's Yours is Mine

**The Guiding Star**

What's Yours is Mine: Chapter Twenty-Seven

By: Sakura Kinomoto

His mission had become a complete failure. Li Yao Liang's betrayal had been a low blow to every one of them. From the moment those rings had been stolen, everything fell apart: the mission, their morale, even their friendship with each other. For whatever reason, Wong Wing Kay never seemed to speak to Kinomoto Sakura unless she had to anymore. And because the older girl never told her why, Sakura assumed she blamed her for having hidden the rings without telling anyone and, by not relinquishing them to Yao Liang right away, had been the indirect cause of Li Xiao Lang injuries.

Xiao Lang had finally regained consciousness many days ago, though his eyesight had not returned. He was having a difficult time coping with it, often drifting in and out of sleep, no longer able to tell whether he was awake or dreaming. Losing his eyesight was not at all like his arm breaking. The pressure around his eyes may have subsided, but the sudden loss of this sense had been damaging to his mind when he found himself surrounded by constant darkness. At the same time, that pain was nowhere near as unbearable as that of his master's betrayal. He clutched at his heart as the ache overwhelmed him again and he quietly succumbed back to sleep.

As if their situation wasn't bad enough, they were now facing monetary concerns. Since Xiao Lang was still recovering from his physical injuries and mental anguish, the girls weren't ready to take him and leave the small room they rented but they knew that with what little money they had left, it was only a matter of time before they were kicked out.

"Miss? Miss?"

Sakura looked up with a start, remembering where she was. "Are you sure you want to sell this?" the merchant asked her, greedily eyeing the extravagantly decorated hair ornament she held out to him. She nodded stiffly, not daring to speak too much in case her accent gave her away. When they had concluded the deal, Sakura hurried away, her hands tightly clutching the string of coins he had given her in exchange of the ornament. It had been more than a year since Sakura had last seen her handmaiden, Daidouji Tomoyo, but she was sure her friend would forgive her for selling the object she made for her. Over the past few months, Sakura had had to sell various things that Tomoyo had packed away for her and she hated to part with any of them unless absolutely necessary. However, by this point she had sold all of them except the one she wore now that kept her hair up. They had to make this money last as long as possible.

At Sakura's return, Wing Kay cast her a rather resentful glance as she got up from where she had been watching over the prince. Wordlessly, Sakura put the string of coins on the table and hung up her cloak. Wing Kay, equally silent, took the coins and went out to pay for their room. Sakura had been hesitant to be near Xiao Lang when Wing Kay was around and hurried to his side now.

Even as he slept, the prince's expression remained troubled as if he was trapped in a bad dream. Other than that, he seemed all right physically. His bandages had long since been removed and those wounds had healed. Sakura leaned in to look at him when his eyelids suddenly opened and she drew back in surprise. His expression seemed blank, his eyes staring at nothing, and Sakura bit her lip. Just as suddenly, he turned his sightless eyes toward her. "Sakura?" he asked, his voice hoarse. He sat up immediately and reached out with one hand to her. Sakura wanted to take his hand in hers but waited instead.

His touch was still clumsy and his hand hit her shoulder. From there, he lightly moved his hand over her shoulder, brushed past her neck, and cradled her cheek with one hand. With his other hand, he suddenly placed it behind her head, pulled her toward him, and kissed her. Sakura sputtered in shock and pushed him away without thinking. He landed hard on the bed, his arms covering his face. Aghast, she stammered out an apology as she started to get up but realized in a moment that his hand was hiding a smile. Sitting up again, he smiled at her for the first time since Yao Liang left. "I knew it; it _is_ Sakura." It was more of a statement than a question.

Still blushing hotly, Sakura began to stand up in a huff. "I hope that's not how you plan to figure out who everyone around you is," she said rather stiffly. Both his hands had found her wrists and held on tight to them, not letting her leave. The smile faded as his expression became serious.

"Of course not. That's only because I knew…somehow…that it was you."

"The whole time someone was here with you?" she asked, thinking of Wing Kay, as he pulled her close to him again.

"No, only just a moment ago," was his muffled response. Sakura's expression brightened and she hugged him back. This was how Wing Kay found both of them when she returned. A scowl marred her features for a moment but she didn't say anything. It was a long time before she spoke to either of them again.

- - - - - - - - - - -

When he held Sakura in his arms, Xiao Lang knew then that being blind didn't make him useless. He could still hear, still speak… He would still be able to protect those in his power to protect. Whenever he remembered his master's words of returning to take things important to him, it only fuelled his determination. He didn't know what interest Yao Liang had for both girls but Xiao Lang refused to lose either of them because he was weak. And his lack of eyesight also wasn't going to stop him.

The prince suddenly jumped back as a staff-like object made contact with the ground he had stood over before. The staff then swung over from the right but he caught it with his hand before it hit him. Sakura was about to try to swing it again when a quick "Wait!" from Xiao Lang stopped her. His hand still on the staff, he walked toward Sakura and stepped behind her. "Your hands are too far apart," he said, placing his hands over hers and moving them to an appropriate distance. With his arms right around her and the prince being so close, Sakura couldn't help but turn bright red. Xiao Lang realized it, too, and quickly let go of her hands. However, he didn't move away. Instead he leaned his head against hers.

"Thank you for helping me," he said softly.

Sakura smiled up at him. "Thank you for teaching me. Let's continue practicing."

It was in this way that the days went by. In the beginning, things had been very awkward as Xiao Lang had bumped and crashed into everything in his path. Of course, he was stubborn and rejected staying cooped up in the room so whenever he went out, Sakura always helped guide his way. At the same time, with his independent streak, he refused to let her do more than that and quickly forced himself to find his bearings. He also force-trained his hearing, straining to listen to even the quietest sounds and identifying them as he heard them. As well, he noticed that when he concentrated hard enough, he could sense if something was in his path or not, though he wasn't good enough yet to discern what that something was. Still, it wasn't long before he was able to walk on his own a little more naturally.

Once he was back on his feet, Xiao Lang knew the only way that he could improve was with constant practice. However, neither of the girls were capable of sparring with him in any way as neither could handle a sword or any sort of weapon that wasn't bow and arrows. At Sakura's eagerness to learn, he tried to teach her the basics of using a sword with long tree branches they found. Other times, he practiced defense. The "staff" that Sakura used had been a broken off table leg from the inn they stayed in. And while his hearing had improved as time went on, his senses were still rather dulled as it was exceedingly difficult to concentrate on so much at one time. He also had to admit that Sakura wasn't a very effective training partner as she was sometimes a little too careful, on her own part, not to hurt him, so the pressure to defend was nowhere near as strong.

On Wing Kay's end, she took no part in any of this. Although he couldn't see it, Xiao Lang sensed some disapproval and a great deal of reluctance from the older girl. She never tried to stop him but he knew that if he asked for her help, she wouldn't be particularly willing to give it to him. Also, when she was around, he always kept his eyelids closed around her as it seemed she felt discomfort when she saw his sightless eyes.

Xiao Lang may have only guessed the older girl's opposition, but Sakura was certainly aware of it. After the first time the prince had enlisted Sakura's help, Wing Kay had quietly bereted her after he had gone to sleep, asking the girl how she could listen to his willfulness to train when he wasn't even well enough to do so. As it was, it wasn't like they were in immediate danger so he should just take that time to rest. Sakura had understood Xiao Lang's desperation about his helpless state and not wanting to be coddled, and said she wasn't going to stop him so long as it didn't hurt him. Angry at her defiance, Wing Kay blurted out, "It's your fault he's hurt like this in the first place!" She clamped both hands over her mouth then lowered them and apologized, but the damage was done. The words hung heavily in the air over them. There was no need for her to take it back as both girls knew she had meant what she said. Sakura stood up, wanting to put an end to that conversation.

"It's _because_ it was my fault that I'm taking responsibility." Her voice was rather stiff and she paused for a moment before adding, "And because I could never say no if he asks for my help."

Knowing her own true feelings now, Wing Kay didn't see the need to mince words any longer with the princess. "If anything like this ever happens again," she said coldly, as she also stood up, "I won't forgive you." She had left the room then and Sakura never saw her again until the next day.

"…you all right?" Sakura broke out of her reverie to find Xiao Lang facing her questioningly, his eyebrows creased with concern.

"It's nothing, it's nothing," she replied quickly, annoyed at herself for not paying attention during his training. Xiao Lang took the short staff from her and held her hand in his.

"Let's call it a day and head back," he said, a smile on his face as he squeezed her hand gently. Sakura couldn't help but smile back. She'd do anything to protect that optimistic expression of his. Anything that would help him get better.

_You didn't need to tell me that,_ Sakura addressed Wing Kay silently, thinking back to what the latter had said that night. _I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to Xiao Lang again because of me._

- - - - - - - - - - -

The light wind felt nice on his cheek as it slowly breezed by him. He could hear the wind as it moved through the trees and tall grass in that area. For the first time in a long while, he felt a sense of calm and he relaxed a little. Xiao Lang opened his eyelids again, looking at nothing in particular. If the vegetation was anything like what he was used to, he could just imagine what the place looked like. Taking up his sword again, he continued his practice swings and he could hear Sakura doing the same. The biggest regret he had was that, without the rings, he was unable to practice with the powers they lent to his sword.

He could hear footsteps nearby getting louder as they strode purposefully toward them. The prince could tell immediately that whoever it was offered them no harm. The girl stopped near them but not close enough that she could interfere with their practice. "We're not finished yet, Wing Kay," he said, stifling a heavy sigh. He was getting a little tired of her constant admonitions to stop training and to do nothing besides rest.

"I wasn't going to ask you to stop," Wing Kay replied coolly. "I finished my work for the day and I just wanted to be with you two, that's all." Xiao Lang bit his lip at his hasty reproach, thinking he should have known her better than that.

Having replaced his sword with a stick similar to the one Sakura wielded, they both parried for a short while. He could see that Sakura had improved in leaps and bounds, considering the fact that she could barely hold her pseudo-sword properly just three weeks ago. As he admired her strength, he knew he couldn't allow himself to slack off either and he smiled despite himself.

The prince heard them screaming his name before he realized he was lying on the ground. His body suddenly felt like it was on fire and his head pounded like crazy. But as quickly as the attack came, it had subsided, leaving him gasping on the ground, his breathing heavy as he tried to regain his senses. A minute barely passed since his collapse and both girls had already lifted him up together and helped him back toward the inn.

They both half-guided, half-dragged him back into their room, immediately putting him to rest on the bed. Sakura had just pulled the covers over his chest and was about to leave when he reached out and grabbed the back of her skirt. "I'm sorry," he coughed out, his hand shaking a little. "Let's continue again tomorrow." Sakura gently removed his hand and tucked it back under the covers. She kissed him lightly on the forehead, relieved to hear his breathing ease a bit. Wing Kay's eyes greeted her in the hallway as she left the room and she knew they said, without the older girl actually saying it. "I told you so."

This wasn't the first time this sort of attack had happened, but Xiao Lang reassured them each time that it was just a passing thing. Even so, both girls felt frustrated at not being able to help him more. Sakura picked up Xiao Lang's dragon sword and walked off. Wing Kay followed her out.

Stepping to a secluded area behind the inn, Sakura continued her practice, only using the sword this time. On the occasions Xiao Lang was resting, she used it instead, getting a feel for the more substantial object. The more she practiced with it, the more she noticed the sword no longer felt as heavy as the day she first borrowed it and she maintained a firm grip on the hilt with each swing. Wing Kay had been watching her silently for a while before she finally spoke.

"You should just stop doing this already," she began. "All this constant training is causing him a lot of stress. It's not like even you can improve that much more with all this extra practice. At the very least, go look for a job and make yourself useful this time so that we can provide him with some financial support." Sakura didn't say anything in response and, without another word, Wing Kay turned on her heel to leave.

"Thank you." The practice swings halted as Sakura stabbed the sword into the ground. Wing Kay stopped without turning around. "It's all been so hard for you. I know you're working at the inn as a waitress because we have no money," the princess continued, her grip tightening on the hilt. "I know you're still with us because you also can't leave him alone. The me right now…I can't do any of those things like getting a job. This is the only way I can help him. So…we're truly grateful that you're here."

"I can't be here forever," Wing Kay said, still not looking at her.

"I know," Sakura replied evenly. "Whenever you decide to go, I'll be ready to be his sole support. Even if that day's tomorrow."

There was a pause. "Of course it won't be tomorrow," scoffed the older girl and Sakura knew their truce could last a little longer.

- - - - - - - - - - -

"Hey, you're really pretty. How about joining us later when you're done?"

The intentions behind the innocent-sounding comment were immediately given away by the expectant smirk on the man's face, and the equally wide grin on his friend's. Wing Kay unceremoniously collected their plates and quickly moved on. "Sorry," she said coolly, "my hands are already full."

The innkeeper's wife took the pile of plates from Wing Kay's hands and clasped the younger girl's hands in her work-hardened ones. "Thank you for everything today," the elderly lady said with a gentle smile. She let go of the younger girl's hands for a moment to pass her a tray laden with food. "Why don't you finish up early today and share this with your friends?" With a grateful smile, Wing Kay accepted the tray and hurried to the inn side of the building.

In the hallway, she was met unexpectedly by the same two guys from the restaurant. It wasn't the first time people had tried to ask her out, but these two were the first to persist this far. Ignoring them, she continued walking until one of them blocked her way with his arm. "We heard your boss say you're finished now. So how about it?" Wing Kay moved away but backed into his friend instead. His companion was behind her and he casually placed his arm around her shoulders and tried to make her walk with them.

"No," she protested, the tray still clenched tight in her hands, "I have to-" The tray was wrenched from her and the man dropped it on the floor, the food spilling onto the tray as the bowls were overturned. He grinned at her as he dusted off his hands.

"Now you're free. Let's go."

Turning around, the man bumped into someone else in the hallway. "Watch it!" he shouted with an angry scowl at the younger man in the hallway. He raised his hand to push him out of the way, but the other person caught his arm before he could lower it.

"Xiao Lang," Wing Kay murmured, surprised to see him.

"Stop it," Xiao Lang said sharply, still facing the taller man as he released the man's arm. "Don't bother her."

"And who's going to stop us?" the man sneered, after looking him up and down to size him up. "You?" His friend let go of Wing Kay as they both moved toward the prince.

"No!" Wing Kay cried, grabbing the back of the shirts of one of them. He easily brushed her aside. Both of them loomed over the prince but before either of them could lay a hand on him, he had dealt each of them a swift punch to the gut, instantly dropping them both to their knees. Xiao Lang walked past them and stood by Wing Kay.

"If you still really want to fight, we can," he told them calmly. "I'll even go easy on you." Clutching their stomachs, both of them glared menacingly at Xiao Lang as they stood up, but he faced them unflinchingly. Scowls on both their faces, they stood up and left without causing more trouble. Before Xiao Lang could turn around, Wing Kay suddenly hugged him from behind. It was as if nothing had changed. Xiao Lang was still Xiao Lang.

Xiao Lang turned around in her arms and lightly patted her head. "Are you all right?" he asked softly. Wing Kay looked up and met his sightless eyes. He smiled at her. "Thank you for all your hard work." The spell was broken. Wing Kay immediately let go and stepped back.

"I-I'm fine," she said, regaining her composure, going to retrieve the tray. The prince beat her to it and had already picked it up for her. Taking it from him, Wing Kay paused before leaving. "Xiao Lang, thank you. But please don't spoil me anymore." As the sound of her footsteps rescinded down the hall, Xiao Lang could only wonder what she had meant by that.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Leaning the staff against the wall, Sakura wiped the sweat from her brow with her sleeve. Although the temperature had generally turned cooler the last few days, the sun was currently at its zenith and she had become quite warm. Shedding her outer tunic, she tossed it aside before resuming her practice.

_I wish there was some other way I could be of help to him,_ Sakura thought wistfully, as she mulled over everything they had done together so far in terms of training. She stopped again, her hand moving to touch her pendant instead. If only she could help him with his magic. Did she not often hear from so many different people about how powerful her magic was? But very rarely had her magic appeared because she had made it to. Her fingers tightened on the pendant. It couldn't have just been a fluke. After all, the Li masters had accepted her, hadn't they? That's why she was allowed to be by Xiao Lang's side now.

Sakura thought hard, trying to remember every instance she had used her magic. There was that time she had faced Chi Yuen. She knew she had used it then. Her body had felt so warm, slightly overwhelmed by the power coursing through her. That was what she had to achieve again.

Recalling what the prince had done when he was practicing, she closed her eyes, cupped her hands together, and concentrated, trying to call on that magic. Nothing. Ignoring how silly she knew she looked standing still there, she tried again, her hands pressed hard together. Still nothing.

Maybe she was just hopeless. With a small sigh, Sakura was about to give up when she heard the words _Try again_. She did so and when she felt a sudden spark, she jumped back in surprise. Was that her that did this? _That's it. Pull that power out._ With her hands cupped together and her brow furrowed in concentration, she tried once more. This time, she felt an explosion of warmth in the palm of her hands, slowly spreading to the rest of her body. It felt quite similar to the warmth she felt before when she last had her power in her grasp.

"It worked!" she whispered aloud. A tiny turquoise orb floated between the palms of her hands, little jolts running around it. She was so excited by this that it was a moment before she noticed that her body was beginning to feel a little too warm and it was starting to hurt. She gasped when one of the jolts from the arm snaked up her arm, leave singe marks on her skin in its wake. The orb was growing in the meantime, feeding on her power, stray bolts striking out randomly. Something had gone completely wrong yet Sakura could only watch helplessly as it grew out of her control.

Perhaps if she separated her hands… The orb began to warp when she did, bigger bolts striking out so she kept them close together again. One of those bolts leapt out and Sakura stumbled backward to avoid it. However, she didn't fall. A pair of strong arms caught and supported her, ignoring the cut on his cheek that the jolt had made after it had swept past her. There was no time to ask Xiao Lang why he was here, though she half expected him to reprimand her for her stupidity. "Let it go!" he was saying instead.

"I can't!" she cried. "It gets worse when I do!"

"It's okay! It'll definitely be all right," he said, using her own words, his arms wrapped tight around her waist. Her eyes were wide with fear, knowing the enormity of the situation and what she had tried to done. As her eyes met his, he nodded reassuringly at her. Seeing the steadfastness of his gaze, she pulled her hands apart.

The orb contorted for just a moment. Then that overwhelming power spiraled out of her reach, blasting everything around her away, including Xiao Lang. As he was pushed away, the prince grasped at empty air, unable to maintain his grip, and fell back against something. It was a few moments before everything settled and the power completely dissipated into the air. Wing Kay helped to steady him as he picked himself up, his hands pressed against both ears. There was an intense ringing in them that didn't seem to stop and it hurt immensely. It took a little longer for that to finally stop yet the silence after it was equally eerie.

"Sakura? Wing Kay?" he called out tentatively.

He heard nothing.

Xiao Lang could still feel Wing Kay by his side, her hand still pressed worriedly on his shoulder. "Sakura, Wing Kay," he called again, a little louder this time.

Once again there was no response.

A feeling of dread sank in his stomach. "Wing Kay," he said, turning to face the girl beside him, "if you can hear me, squeeze my shoulder." There was a moment's hesitation but he could feel a slight squeeze on his shoulder. Trying to ignore the lump forming in his throat, he then asked her, "Please say something. Anything."

Absolute silence.

Realization set in, but Xiao Lang still couldn't believe it. Rather, he didn't want to believe it. He only had to suffer for a few more seconds of this deafening silence before he lost himself to merciful unconsciousness. It was a long time before he could wake up again.

- - - - - - - - - - -

The hallway was cold as what few candles used to light the way gave off little heat though it went unnoticed by the girl curled up outside the doors of one of the inn's rooms. Sakura pulled her legs closer to her body, ignoring the sting of her still red cheek. After what happened, Wing Kay was finally unable to contain her emotions and slapped the younger girl, angry tears coursing down her cheeks. But Sakura wished that something like this could take away the pain Xiao Lang felt. She was equally mortified and angry with herself for letting her own powers get out of control and hurting him like this. Instead of being the indirect cause, there was no doubt that she was the reason he was hurt this time. Wing Kay had then kicked her out of the room, not wanting to let Sakura near the prince anymore. Whether or not the princess was caught by the imperial guards now meant nothing to the older girl.

Sitting on the side of the bed, Wing Kay watched over the sleeping Xiao Lang, both of her hands clasped tightly around his. Never, in all the time she had known him, had she ever seen him in such bad shape. He had also been working so hard these past few weeks to not allow his blindness to hinder him that it was so disheartening to see this happen to him now. Earlier, she had just gone outside after work to look for them when she saw the strange light in Sakura's hands warping out of control and Xiao Lang getting caught up in the blast. And after his strange, frantic questions and his lack of response when they had answered him, it was immediately apparent what had happened. Wing Kay knew exactly how it happened this time, too. It was all Kinomoto Sakura's fault, she thought angrily, for fooling around with her powers and not being able to keep them under control. Luckily for all of them, this had happened far enough from the inn that no one else had been affected by the blast nor could anyone connect them to it, though they certainly distanced themselves from that place as quickly as they could.

Feeling Xiao Lang's hand twitching in her hands, Wing Kay turned her attention back to the prince. It would be the first time he had regained consciousness since the incident. He moved his head groggily, trying to shake off sleep and opened his eyes. Before she could say anything, the first thing out of his mouth was, "Where's Sakura?"

Wing Kay hesitated for a second, wondering if he was serious. He was about to repeat his question when she suddenly turned his hand palm side up. Slowly and deliberately, she wrote on his palm using her index finger. "She's not h-" was all she had managed before he pulled his hand away from her. She stared at him but not for very long.

Hurt at this sort of rejection, she stood up abruptly and walked out. Sakura looked up in surprise when the door opened and her eyes met Wing Kay's briefly before the latter stalked out of the room and disappeared down the stairs. She had left the door open and, despite the fact that she warned Sakura to stay away from Xiao Lang, Sakura peered inside. Xiao Lang was sitting up in the bed, one hand holding his head. It hurt her to see him looking so forlorn. She knew she had no qualifications to be with him, after giving him so many problems. Xiao Lang lifted his head then and got out of bed, groping about in desperation. "Saku…ra…" she heard him say.

She was by his side in an instant, pushing him to sit back on the bed before he walked into the chair. Feeling her at his side, his hand clamped onto her wrist. "I found you," he said with a smile, the cheerfulness in his tone unmistakable. Sakura choked back her tears, wondering how it could be possible that he didn't hate her. But she had to tell him, that she was sorry. Looking around, she wondered how she could communicate with him when he held his palm out to her and pointed at it with his other hand. Understanding what she meant, she tried, a little shakily to write "sorry". Glancing up, she could see his eyebrows knit together in confusion, not recognizing what she had wrote. She tried again. His confusion was still apparent.

Sakura's heart sank as she realized that, as similar as their writing was for the most part, there were some words that could be written differently. For most of the time she had been in this country, she had little reason to read anything and there was even less meaning in writing. She had always assumed that just being able to speak would be enough.

Her fingers suddenly tightened on Xiao Lang's hand and they were trembling slightly. Something wet also landed on his outstretched palm, followed by another drop, then another. Was she…crying? Even if he couldn't see her or hear her, Xiao Lang figured out immediately what she was trying to say. "No!" he cried intensely. Sakura was startled to hear his voice and the tears stopped in an instant. "It's _not_ your fault this happened! You're not responsible so don't you dare think it," he admonished her. "It's just me that needs to be stronger. That way, something like this won't happen again." It wasn't like he could see how his situation could be any worse than it currently was.

As she wiped her eyes clear with the back of her hand, Sakura could see that it wasn't just naïve optimism but what he really believed. "No," she told him, knowing full well that he couldn't hear her, "we _both_ need to be stronger." Xiao Lang looked up at her, his eyes searching for a face he couldn't see.

"Will you still help me with my training?"

"Yes," she wrote on the palm of his hand.

- - - - - - - - - - -

"I-I'm sorry, Your Highness! Please don't have me killed!"

The guard quailed under the younger man's gaze, a man known for his ruthlessness, especially as of late. He had been increasingly restless since his return from Chengkou several months ago.

Li Shui Ken waved him off with a huff, dismissing the guard immediately. The man was only happy to still make it out in one piece and removed himself from the prince's sight immediately, lest he changed his mind.

After the doors closed behind the retreating guard, Shui Ken stood up from his seat and walked to the window. He looked out at nothing in particular for a short while before closing the shutters, the bright light outside annoying him. Staring at his hand for a moment, the ninth prince was thinking of when he had last touched that girl's soft hair. His hand suddenly clenched tight, he punched the wall in frustration. After losing Sakura to those two strangers, he had never been able to find her again. What was even weirder was that many of the guards he had sent were winding up dead. He doubted that his younger half-brother was the cause of this as he would never have the guts to kill another person. Maybe the one killing them were those two masked men but, instinctively, Shui Ken didn't think so. Still, there was someone else out there trying to stop him from finding them.

While guards were easily disposable, Shui Ken didn't exactly want all of them dead either when they could still be useful. Perhaps instead of chasing after her, he could make it so that the princess would want to return to him.

There was a light knock on the door. "Yes?" answered Shui Ken, walking back to his seat.

"Your Highness," the guard said through the door, "your twin cousins, the ones you had asked us to monitor, the one named Li Mei Ling has returned to her home just recently."

Shui Ken's mouth curled up with a smile. He had found his new starting point.

- - - - - - - - - - -

It was when he was in the dark that he was able to be himself again. Shadows danced on the wall opposite him, a wildly flickering candle the only light available. He didn't need to chase them any longer since he knew exactly where the trio was: they had let themselves remain stationary for a few months now. It was a wonder that they hadn't been caught by any of Shui Ken's guards at this point. After all, he could easily point the guards in the right direction…

Well, he could have, but of course there was no way he'd do that, he thought, poking vaguely at the dormant elemental rings sitting on the table beside him. He still wasn't finished with the brat prince, after all. There was still more he wanted to take from him, wanted to see him completely broken. Thus, he had taken care of the ninth prince's guards himself, using them to pass the time.

He also had to admit that he hadn't counted on the Japanese princess' recent stupidity, trying to use a power that she had no control over. Without any sort of training, how did she expect to be able to use it? But with his furtive suggestions that she had been on the right track, she had naively believed him. Instead of being of help to Xiao Lang as she had hoped, she had instead been an added catalyst to the prince's eventual complete ruin.

The candle went out and out of the shadows emerged one that called himself Li Yao Liang. It was time to pay a certain someone another visit.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Sakura suddenly shuddered as a cold breeze wafted through the room. That was strange; she was certain that the window shutters had been closed but the distinct smell of the outside night air reached her nose. Hearing something rustling some feet away from her, she sat up and looked around. What met her eyes was the last thing she had expected to see that night. Yao Liang was half-kneeling, half-standing over Xiao Lang, his hand pushing the latter's shoulder down as the prince struggled to remove the older man's grip. She could clearly see Xiao Lang's angry, tearstained face from the moonlight that streamed in through the open window and Sakura was startled to see his tears.

Before she could react, someone clamped their hand over her mouth and quickly tied her arms and legs. She stared up at Wing Kay in surprise, who refused to return her gaze as she covered Sakura's mouth with a cloth to keep her quiet.

"Sakura is in our hands right now." Sakura looked back and her eyes met Yao Liang's. He smirked at her before turning back to the prince. "So you had just better relinquish the dragon sword." She could see Xiao Lang's mouth moving but she didn't hear him utter a single word. What had happened to him now?

_See how weak and powerless you have become? Even your voice can't reach her now._

_Shut up!_ Xiao Lang cried out silently. After hearing nothing for so long, his mind was now filled with Yao Liang's constant goading and taunting. He knew that the only reason he could hear Yao Liang speaking to him was through magic and it was through that same magic that Yao Liang could also hear him.

With both sight and sound stripped from him, the only reason Xiao Lang could even tell what time of day it was, was when Sakura wished him good morning and good night everyday. As dull as his senses had become, Xiao Lang had distinctly felt something was wrong that night and had woken up, only to be roughly shoved back down by Yao Liang. He had been about to call out to Sakura and Wing Kay for help when his master told him not to bother.

"After all," Xiao Lang heard him say, Yao Liang's hand wrapped around his neck as a way of keeping him down, "she has been working for me for far longer than you could ever guess. She wouldn't bother lifting a finger for the helpless you anymore."

The moment those words were said, Xiao Lang could feel his heart thud heavily in his chest. "Wing…" he started to say but his throat suddenly closed up. He knew that even if he tried to speak anymore, no words would come out. Shoulders sagging, his grip weakening, it seemed as if he had taken the news particularly hard. However, Xiao Lang had only acted as if he had been completely defeated for that moment and immediately pulled a small blade hidden under his pillow. Yao Liang easily moved away as it slashed past him, wondering what this weak motion was supposed to do to him. But attacking the older man was not his intention. He used the blade to cut his arm, the pain jolting him awake. There was no way he would allow himself to lose consciousness like the other times, to leave himself at Yao Liang's complete mercy.

His master swiped at the prince's hand, knocking the blade away, and it landed uselessly on the ground. As the older man shifted positions just then, with his hand pushing down Xiao Lang's shoulder instead, Sakura had awoken at that very moment. "Let her go," Xiao Lang mouthed to him. He stopped struggling and cursed him, more concerned about her safety than his own. "Get off me and I'll give you the damn sword." Yao Liang sat back for a moment and watched as the younger man wiped his eyes angrily before groping around the side of the bed nearest to the wall. Reaching down himself, Yao Liang pulled the sword from the bed's side, a little surprised that it had been sitting in a niche made just for it and completely hidden away from sight.

Sword in hand, Yao Liang got up and held his hand out to Wing Kay. The hand she gave him was cold, but she moved to his side, her eyes fixed on the ground, not looking at either Sakura or Xiao Lang. Sakura tried to call her back but her voice was completely muffled by the cloth. In an instant, they both vanished from the room.

Xiao Lang had sat up on his bed, not moving, his head lowered and hidden by the shadows. Unable to shake off the bounds, Sakura shimmied across the room as quickly as she could move, pausing to sneeze because of the dust on the floor every once and a while. When she reached the bed, she placed her arms on the side and hoisted herself up beside him. His expression was a mixed one of shock, desolation, and anger. With her hands still tied together, Sakura placed her arms around his neck so that she could hold him to her.

The sudden touch was an added shock for the one who felt completely and utterly alone, unable to see or hear even strangers. He felt as if he had been dead for a long time. The arms that held him felt warm and alive, and her scent was sweet. Xiao Lang reached out and hugged her back hard, so fiercely that it hurt. Sakura, protested for a moment, wincing in pain. But she didn't pull away and bore it for his sake. He wanted to just stay like this forever, holding this girl. However…

Xiao Lang couldn't forget it. He couldn't forget the taunts master had cast at him, he couldn't forget the pain in his heart at Wing Kay's added betrayal… Xiao Lang lifted Sakura's arms up from around his neck, his hands over the ties on her wrists as he lowered her arms. He stared at her. At least, he wanted to. When he had his sight, he drank in every sight of her, sometimes even stealing glances at her during the times he thought he wasn't allowed to love this girl. But after not being able to see her for so long, it was like he was starting to forget what she looked like.

Would she do the same thing they had done? It wasn't entirely improbable. After all, the two people he had trusted the most in the world had both already betrayed him. If she was also going to leave him, he thought, anger flooding him once more, then he didn't want to loosen those bounds. He wanted to keep her tied to him, even if she eventually came to hate him for trapping her.

Without thinking, he had already begun to untie her hands and he let go as the binds dropped onto the bed. Her hands now free, it only took Sakura a moment to remove the ties on her ankles and around her mouth. She was about to move closer to him when he suddenly pushed her away and then recoiled back as if he had been burned by touching her. Xiao Lang tried to say something but remembered then that he no longer could. Frustration welled up again and he pulled away from Sakura. He couldn't see the look of surprise and hurt on her face but he wouldn't have done anything even if he had. Until he squelched his desire to completely monopolize her, regardless of her feelings, whether they were love or hate of him, Xiao Lang resolved never to touch her again.

Not until the doubt clouding his heart disappeared.

* * *

Author's Note: And so ends the worst school semester in history. Wait, I lied. It hasn't ended yet. D: I still have a giant paper to write and one exam left. It has been a terribly hectic term these past four months because a _certain_ dummy thought it'd be a great idea to take on a courseload that exceeded 100 percent. :P The majority of my exams are behind me, though, so I tried to finish up this chapter sooner than later. To be honest, a lot of it still dissatisfies me. Likely much of it is due to the fact that I'm still annoyed with the slow pacing of the story for the first ten-odd chapters (because, back then, I thought shorter chapters would induce me to update faster…it didn't make any difference). 

I'll be out of town during winter break and I hope I'll be able to write when I'm onboard the plane. But I say that every time and I really need a computer to be able to write anything substantial. I guess we'll see what happens. The next chapter is one of the last few that I have a concrete outline for though that actually rarely helps (sometimes it's more of a hindrance).

Comments and criticisms on writing style and structure would be greatly appreciated. After all, there's always room for improvement. :)

For non FF.N members, if you wish to be alerted when there's a new chapter and/or added to the mailing list, please mention it here.

Author's Note to Light in the Darkness: "_I didn't expect him to take Syaoran's eye sight too! (he took it, right? hahaha imagine if I'm wrong and I'm getting all worked out for nothing XP sigh the random thoughts that float in my head ...)_"  
While he didn't exactly "take" it, Syaoran losing his sight was certainly because of him. As with the other times in this chapter, you might have noticed it was only after a particular bad shock that caused Syaoran's condition to deteriorate further. Syaoran's kind of unlucky here, ne? -sweats-

Author's Note to afsdferythjyhg: "_Truth be told, I kinda forgot about this story. I had to read the last chapter over again, and things are still kinda hazy._"  
And I haven't been helping by posting the chapters so far apart. -3- You'd think that since I already know what's going to happen (mostly) that they'd be a breeze to write, but, nooooooo… By the way, excellent user name. :D

Author's Note to Papayas: "_I heard they're not continuing the anime and only the manga is to go on TT. I don't know why, I loved the anime too._"  
Most likely because it wasn't overly popular with most fans in general? However, at this point, they have released the OVA Tokyo Revelations for Tsubasa that was very nicely done…from the bits I skimmed of it (I haven't even had time to watch one episode of anything lately).

Author's Note to rosedreamer101: "_is there going to be clow card??_"  
Although this fic is an AU of the CCS-verse, it's more due to the characters than the plot. While Clow Cards haven't appeared in that exact way, elemental spirits are the same as that of the Clow Cards, i.e. Water ring's spirit is the same as the card Watery in terms of appearance and temperament.

And thank you FuyuSarah, -Kori Kage Tenshi-, SakuraAyanami, icyblossom3, RedWingedAngel002 x6, Cherrysinger, and Lovewish for your reviews!!

Sakura  
-The Animé Archives


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